Pioneering new research centre at Wageningen University

Wageningen University & Research centre in the Netherlands is going to begin building its Algae Production And Research Centre (AlgaePARC). AlgaePARC is going to be a facility for research into sustainable and economically viable micro-algae cultivation systems. The pilot-scale research centre will bridge the gap between the fundamental research on a laboratory scale and the industrial production of algae. The biomass from algae cultivation forms the basis for biofuels and is a source of proteins for food and chemicals.

AlgaePARC will be put into operation at the end of 2010.

Maria Barbosa, AlgaePARC project leader from Food & Biobased Research at Wageningen says, 'The unique thing about this facility is the fact that it is the first of its kind in the world. We can accurately compare the productivity of the different systems during the year under identical conditions. At the same time, we are gaining knowledge for the development of new photobioreactors and the design of systems on a production scale.'

Funding for the construction of AlgaePARC has come from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, and the Provincial Government of Gelderland.

Micro-algae are currently seen as a promising source of biodiesel and chemical building blocks, which can be used in paint and plastics. Biomass from algae offers a sustainable alternative to products and fuels from the petrochemical industry. René Wijffels, Professor of Bioprocess Technology at Wageningen University, says, 'The productivity of algae is much higher than that of agricultural crops and algae can also grow in seawater. We do research into the production of algae. AlgaePARC allows us to make the jump from laboratory-based research to practical application. We want to demonstrate that we can fulfil those promises.'

Find out more about Wageningen University.

Looking for funding for postgraduate studies in 2010? Check out the exclusive bursaries on offer from Postgrad Solutions.

Content added on 30th March 2010.

Back