Finnish startup Solar Foods has introduced Solein, a revolutionary protein produced from air and electricity. Yes, you read that right - a company is now making protein from literally thin air (via South China Morning Post).
This interesting approach promises to transform the food industry by offering a sustainable alternative to traditional animal and plant-based proteins.
Finnish startup Solar Foods produces Solein, a revolutionary, sustainable protein made from air and electricity, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional farming.Image via Solar Foods
What is Solein and How is it Made?
Solein is a protein-rich powder made through a unique process involving single-celled organisms. Solein's production uses abundant gases hydrogen and carbon dioxide to feed these organisms. Much like how sugar speeds up the fermentation process in yeast.
The process begins with the electrolysis of water, which separates it into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and carbon dioxide are then fed to hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria in a carefully controlled environment.
These bacteria use chemosynthesis, a process in which chemical reactions produce energy for growth by converting gases into proteins.
"We can source our main feedstock for the microbe from the air," Solar Foods CEO Pasi Vainikka tells SCMP, putting the process into simple words.
Solein's production method stands out in the rapidly developing market of alternative proteins. Traditional protein sources, whether animal-based or plant-based, require significant amounts of land, water, and other resources.
According to available data, food production contributes to around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, packaging, retail, food processing, and transportation account for 18% of total food emissions.
Livestock farming, in particular, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which are a primary driver of global warming.The biggest contributors to food emissions are livestock and fish farms at 31%, and grain production and land use at a staggering 51%.
By contrast, Solein's production process is remarkably efficient and environmentally friendly. CEO Vainikka adds that that a significant portion of today's animal-like protein can be produced via cellular agriculture.
This approach has the potential to lessen reliance on traditional farming, enabling agricultural land to revert to natural states, which in turn can enhance carbon sequestration, the CEO noted.
According to Solar Foods, producing one kilogram of the 'world's most sustainable protein' Solein emits 130 times less greenhouse gases than the same amount of protein from beef production in the European Union.
What's Next?
Solar Foods, founded by Pasi Vainikka and Juha-Pekka Pitkanen in 2017, launched its first production facility, Factory 01, in Vantaa, Finland, in April.
This facility, for now, only serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that the technology can be scaled up for larger production.
Currently, Solar Foods is focused on proving the scalability of its technology to attract further investment. The company's goal is to build an industrial plant 100 times the size of its current facility, SCMP reports.
While Solein has already been approved for sale in Singapore, where it has been used in products like ice cream, it is still awaiting regulatory approval in the EU and the US. Solar Foods receives funding from the European Union.
