Utilization of CO₂ for long-term storage

Background and purpose
Mood Harvest AS has developed, and is under patent, a photobioreactor that is specially adapted to the Nordic climate and for areas with significant temperature and light variations throughout the day and year.

The goal of the project is to industrially cultivate large amounts of microalgae using an optimized cultivation process that utilizes locally captured CO₂ and artificial light to facilitate photosynthesis. The microalgae that are cultivated will be used directly or as raw material for climate-positive and/or climate-neutral products. By permanently storing CO₂ in necessary products, we contribute directly to the reduction of CO₂ in the atmosphere.

Goal
The goal of the idea development project was to clarify the potential of the business idea and lay the foundation for strategic decisions to advance our photobioreactor technology. In addition, we want to validate the CO₂ storage potential of the project, to support a further application process towards the CLIMIT Demo program.

Activities
In the idea development phase, Mood Harvest AS has prepared a report containing the following topics:
1. Business Idea
2. Background and prerequisites
3. Project description DEMO Project
4. Strengths and weaknesses (SWOT analysis)
5. Market and competitive situation
6. Budget and Financing
7. Progress plan
8. Affiliates
9. IP – strategy
10. Plan for realization

Results
1. Sustainable potential: The study confirms that microalgae cultivation can be an effective method for CO₂ utilization and storage.
2. Valuable Resource: The study shows that microalgae are a valuable, renewable resource with significant potential for further exploitation.
3. Promising Technology: Our photobioreactor technology has solutions that enable the industrial cultivation of microalgae, with expectations of higher cultivation rates and lower production costs.
Unachieved goals and further needs:
1. Uncertainty about data: the figures used are characterized by uncertainty, as the relevant literature for photobioreactors with internal moving light sources is limited. This may involve inaccuracies in the available data.
2. Variation in microalgae: Large variations in growth rates and traits between microalgae strains.

The way forward
• Build Pilot: The creation of a smaller test or lab pilot is essential to assess the technology and its economic potential. This will provide more reliable data and provide a better basis for assessing the technology.
• Obtain Accurate Data: Accurate data collection throughout the pilot is essential to validate the estimates and improve the technology.

Summary: The project has made significant progress, but further testing and development are needed to fully achieve the original goals.

Future plans
Mood Harvest AS seeks to demonstrate how the photobioreactor works, so that they can get a better basis for numbers and decision-making. This means that we will build a small-scale pilot/lab pilot and, together with a research institute (NIBIO/SINTEF), carry out experiments to validate the photobioreactor technology in interaction with one or more microalgae strains.

Mood Harvest AS will apply for funding to document how they can develop profitable carbon capture and utilisation facilities adapted to small medium-sized companies in Norway. Small medium-sized companies mean smaller plants that can capture up to 10 – 50,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Such work could also include a CO₂ logistics study for non-coastal industry. A feasibility study will form the basis for deciding whether to build a full-scale demonstrator together with an industrial player.

A full-scale demonstrator/pilot plant together with one or more industry players will be relevant in the subsequent phase, preferably in close cooperation with the policy support system.

In parallel with the above ambitions, we want to collaborate with academia and industry related to developing new sustainable products from microalgae, with a special focus on long-term storage and reuse of CO₂.