Deadline: 06-Oct-21
European Commission is calling for proposals to unlock the Potential of Algae for a Thriving European Blue Bioeconomy.
Scope
- The farm production of micro- and macro-algae is one of the most promising emerging ocean sectors.
- Algae can be developed and processed into an almost endless number of products, enabling a shift to aquatic biomass production and reducing the pressure on plant biomass derived from agriculture and forestry.
- Total algae production in the EU increased by 76% between 2006 and 2016.
- EU policy is set to unlock the versatility and potential of algae.
- The European Green Deal and the farm to fork strategy support the role of algae in the protein transition and its contribution to a sustainable food system.
- Moreover, the 2018 EU bioeconomy strategy stresses the potential of algae as a source of innovative aquatic bio-based products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fine and speciality chemicals.
- The integrated processing of algae offers an interesting way to exploit, profitably and sustainably, most or all of its potential, by recovering and separating the biomass components and by minimising waste production.
Funding Information
Grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000 except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
- In line with the European Green Deal objectives, EU bioeconomy strategy and blue growth strategy, the successful proposal will support the development of algae-based greener aquatic industrial products/processes and/or environmental services sustaining the health of aquatic ecosystems for a healthy planet and people.
- The project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Leveraging of the potential of algae as an industrial feedstock by upscaling and demonstrating the techno-economic viability of algae cultivation and biotransformation concepts with positive environmental, social and economic impacts. Implementation of the European Green Deal’s sustainable blue economy and the EU bioeconomy strategy.
- Provide market knowledge to align the development of new algae products to the uses and needs of various sectors.
- Strengthen the competitiveness of the European blue bioeconomy and marine biotechnology industry by reducing technical bottlenecks and by developing promising business models making the whole algae sector more attractive to investment.
- Provide scientific evidence on environmental benefits – including on ecosystem services, if relevant – and on risks of algae-based cultivation. Deliver – if applicable – a comparison between the environmental footprint of algae-based products and their land based counterparts.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
- A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
- To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
- eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe
- low- and middle-income countries
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2TC6cnJ