In Denmark, Unibio has completed its first commercial-scale plant for producing single-cell protein animal feed from natural gas.
The process, dubbed U-Loop, creates favorable growth conditions for bacteria by continuously adding oxygen, natural gas, catalysts, and minerals. Methane is then converted into a highly concentrated protein.
The plant’s entire output—80 metric tons of protein annually—is earmarked for Danish animal feed maker Vestjyllands Andel under an offtake agreement signed earlier this year. A second commercial plant is expected to started up by mid-2017 under a licensing agreement Unibio signed with an undisclosed, Eastern European-based client.
Population growth is increasing demand for meat, which in turn increases the need for animal feed. Unibio says its protein can help meet this demand more sustainably than clearing land to plant soybeans. The process also reduces carbon dioxide emissions when compared to natural gas being flared to produce electricity.