TheTechno Optimist.

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Solar Foods

Solein air protein, gas fermentation, CO2 to food

FIprivateest. 2017solarfoods.com (opens solarfoods.com)Checked 10 Oct

The brief

Analyst view
  • Solein is made from CO2 and electricity via gas fermentation, independent of land, weather, and seasons.
  • Factory 01 (Vantaa) reached 160 t/year in 2024. Factory 02 in Selkäharju will scale to 6,400 t/year.
  • GRAS-approved in the U.S. (Sept 2024) and Singapore (Sept 2022). EU novel food approval expected in 2026.

Technical approach

As reported
Feedstock

CO2 and electricity

The process feeds microorganisms with captured CO2, water, minerals, and renewable electricity, not crops or land.

Microbes

Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria

Gas-fermenting bacteria convert hydrogen (from electrolysis) and CO2 into protein, scaling faster than agriculture.

Scale

Factory model

Fermentation tanks can be built anywhere with renewable power. Factory 02 will be 40x Factory 01's capacity; further 50x expansions are designed in.

Integration

Ingredient, not a meal

Solein is a protein powder ingredient for food manufacturers, not a finished consumer product. Ambrosia Collective and other brands create the end products.

Primer