Power to Food- concept for production of food with reduces environmental impact
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Stockholm |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 2 608 710 |
| Project duration | November 2018 - December 2021 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The need for decreased pressure on several planetary boundaries is the driving force behind the project. The four large, red alert ones, are tightly coupled to food production. They are land use, species extinction, fertilizer use and CO2 emission. The project has demonstated, in lab scale, a disruptively different food production way offering none or very small presseure on the red alert boudaries. Two types of fat, one oil and one solid fat has been produced along the "CO2 and electicty to food". The fats has been used for cooking a Bearnaise, chocolate cookies and a spead for bread.
Expected long term effects
We have demonstrated the possibility to disruptiveley produce food (fat) form CO2 and electricity. The demo fat has been used for cooking and the technology has gained media attention for its novel way of looking at food production. The quantitative description of the environmental effects by this production compared to agriculture has been performed for some planetary boundaries and are in favour for the power to food technology. Along with the increased electrical infrastructure build up in soceiety, the results from this project can be used for commercialization of the technology.
Approach and implementation
The project has connected and modified technology that is currently used for other production to produce cooking fat. This has been done by step wise production of intermediates (for ex. fatty acids) and finally fat. Chemical synthesis competence, catalytic competence and analytical competence have been central and were sourced nationally and internationally. To describe the big picture, broad science has been needed and to weigh the environmental impacts, life cycle analysts have been used.