December 2019 - April 2023

In the PhycoFarming research project, the valuable substance phycocyanin (CPC) was extracted from fresh spirulina algae.

This was preceded by attempts to increase the CPC concentration in the algae themselves by changing the cultivation conditions. A pilot plant for extraction was then developed in Rockstedt, which is designed to be operated by farmers in order to enable new value chains for algae production in Lower Saxony.

The CPC extract was obtained with good efficiencies and above-average concentrations. It will then be used and sold as a nutraceutical.

November 2020 - October 2023

In this project, different algae strains are tested to determine the optimal cultivation conditions for their development in large-scale land-based recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS).

Particular attention is paid to the development of the algae and their suitability for processing into packaging material. The strains are initially tested for robustness and rapid growth.

Selected strains will then be used in large-scale production. The effects of different environmental conditions will also be investigated to optimize the functionality of the algae as packaging material (e.g. activity of antioxidants). The algae strains will then be selectively cultivated under different environmental conditions to determine whether the strains are enhanced by possible adaptations. Improvement of the land-based cultivation facilities and RAS experiments will be carried out in Rockstedt.

February 2019 - February 2021

The aim of the project was to establish the production of the microalgae Spirulina in Lower Saxony's agriculture. Spirulina algae is available commercially almost exclusively from Asian production; corresponding products from European or even German production were practically unavailable.

For this purpose, cultivation in greenhouses was tested. The cultivation technology for spirulina was optimized and an efficient harvesting system was developed.