Unleashing the potential of microalgae as a multipurpose crop for food and energy production

Depleting fossil fuels, soaring oil prices and alarming climate changes drive an urgent need for renewable and sustainable sources of energy and food production. One of the best prospects are microalgae whose lipids and biomass provide enormous opportunities to meet the global energy and food demand sustainably without competing for arable land. However, exploiting their potential in industrial production remains limited because their overall yields are low. We will solve this problem by developing unique microalgae through which massive flows of carbon and energy are directed towards biomass and lipid production via rational strain engineering. The increased yields lower production costs as a prerequisite for cost-efficient large-scale cultivation for biofuel and food purposes.