EU-funded UNICO2RN demoing biogenic CO2 as protein and bioplastic feedstock
In Germany, EU-funded research project UNICO2RN is bringing together European research organisations and industrial partners to demonstrate how biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) can be used as a feedstock for producing proteins and bioplastics. The project focuses on CO2 from biological sources such as biomass processing, fermentation and organic waste treatment, where CO2 is generated as an unavoidable by-product of existing industrial processes.
Unlike fossil-based CO2 emissions, biogenic CO2 is part of the short-term carbon cycle and does not introduce additional carbon into the atmosphere. By targeting these streams, UNICO2RN builds on existing bio-based infrastructures and enables the integration of CO2 utilisation into established industrial value chains.
UNICO2RN uses captured biogenic CO2 as a carbon source to produce microbial proteins for food and animal feed and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), biopolymers for biodegradable plastics and for durable material applications. In doing so, the project demonstrates how unavoidable CO2 emissions from bio-based industries can be converted into market-relevant products.
Category: Research
