SBIR Phase I: Area Efficient Cultivation Technology for Dense Microalgae Cultures

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project are twofold: a disruptive algal production system that lowers costs while reducing land and water use, and U.S.-based algae industry to support aquaculture feed production and enhance food security. Algae cultivation is costly due to limited light penetration in dense cultures. This project aims to develop cost-effective technology to capture and distribute sunlight, reducing costs, land, and water use to make algae a viable food source. Aquaculture is the fastest growing food segment in the world, set to surpass chicken farming as the most farmed animal by 2030. This will drive demand for high-quality feeds and feed ingredients, such as proteins and micronutrients. U.S. algal manufacturing can meet this need, advancing national health, prosperity, and food security while driving US global leadership in innovation in aquaculture. The light technology developed will have applications not only in algae production, but also vertical agriculture and other precision agriculture industries facilitating the creation of jobs in rural areas that traditionally cannot be used for agriculture. This SBIR Phase I technical innovation involves passive capture and distribution of sunlight to increase growth in algae via a novel solar concentrating elements combined with an underwater light guide. The focus of the research will be in diverting sunlight beneath the culture surface to optimize light capture while ensuring adequate remediation of potential biofouling of the light distribution elements. Goals include a light capture efficiency of 80% and distribution of an integrated light amount of at least 40% of what was delivered into the rod to achieve a reduction of net algae production costs by 60-80% as theoretically predicted. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.