Macro Cascade

“Scaling up low hanging fruits!”

MACRO CASCADE will prove the concept of the cascading marine macroalgal biorefinery. This is a production platform that covers the whole technological chain for processing sustainable cultivated macroalgae biomass – also known as seaweed –   to highly processed value added products.

Macroalgal biorefinery is capable of processing multiple feedstock, by deploying a range of mechanical, physicochemical and enzymatic pre-processing and fractionation techniques combined with chemical, enzymatic or microbial conversion refinery techniques for generation of a diversity of added value products for industries within food, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and fine chemicals. Furthermore this approach contributes to the “zero waste society” as the left-over residuals from the biorefinery process can be used as fertilizers and/or for bio-energy conversion. The macroalgal biomass will be used for 100%!

MACRO CASCADE will address a large number of important challenges, barriers, and thresholds encountered in previous and ongoing projects related to refining seaweed biomass. Successful conclusion of the project will help substantiate strategic decisions of policy makers, industrial stakeholders and potential investors.

MACRO CASCADE aims to make impact through proof of concept for 2-3 patentable products within market segments of protein feed, human food ingredients and health promoting effects. MACRO CASCADE will also make impact on European entrepreneurship and industry through a “Blue Print” for a marine macroalgal biorefinery with competitive business models that include LCA and socio-economic impact assessment along the whole value chain.

The project partners have deliberately chosen an approach that can be formulated as “Scaling up low hanging fruits!” and thereby go beyond state of the art and bring research to the market through innovation of patentable and competitive processes, products and business models.

Project Partners

Danish Tecnhological Institut - Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek - Matís - Fermentationexperts - Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland - eCoast - Novozymes - Lunds Universitet - Technical University of Denmark - Hortimare - Region Midtjylland and Ocean Rainforest

Collaboration between MACRO CASCADE and Nordic Innovation

In September 2017 the Macro Cascade project and Nordic Innovation held a two-day event in the Faroe Islands called "Nordic Seaweed – From Research to Innovative Business Opportunities".

Here industry and researchers from all over Europe were invited to show how they use seaweed to create new products, conduct innovative research, and to speak about the rapid emerging industry.

The event tied the Nordics and Europe together by exchanging knowledge in the field of seaweed and exploring how to go from research to commercialisation. 

A video has been released with comments from the participants at the “Nordic Seaweed – from research to business opportunities” that was successfully held in the Faroe Islands in September 2017.

This project has received funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720755