Algae are an incredibly diverse group of organisms that are becoming increasing important of economically and scientific interest the potential providing efficient low carbon processes that will not compete for food production or land use. However, large scale processes using these organisms are hamstrung by the requirement to use natural light which although it is free is unpredictable in intensity, quality and periodicity being dependent weather conditions. Natural light also restricts potential photobioreactor (PBR) geometries, raceways and tubular PBR's making large scale operation problematic, unreliable reducing the productivity of these systems. Internally lit PBR's could revolutionise these with the intensive production of high quality, high value algae and open up the field to exploitation using the tools of synthetic biology to develop the safe productive capacity these systems.

The project therefore aims to investigate internally lit PBR's. This is multidisciplinary collaboration of biologists, physicists and engineers. We will design, construct and test internally lit PBRs have substantially higher productivity and capability over conventionally natural lit systems. On the face on it, the investment and cost of internally lit PBR's are much higher than natural lit systems, however, this can more than compensated by the potential advantages and benefits of growing and manipulating algae in highly controlled lighting environments. This includes more efficient use of light that is provided by LED's which has narrow spectra and easily controlled intensity reducing the cost of production. The sophisticated use of LED lighting also offers up exciting opportunities to control and monitor biochemical composition and product formation much of which is influenced by the quality and intensity of light. With internal lighting reactors can also be scaled in three dimensions and are independent of natural light. Reactors can be tailored and optimised for different products and simplified the strategies for the development of genetically engineered algae can be safely implemented.

The project will focus on the testing of novel flexible PBR design to realise the potential of this approach. The work consists of 5 work packages (i) The development of new methods of selection and use of LED's. (ii) The development of lighting plates where LED's will be mounted internally of light weight lighting plates within the reactor that also facilitating good heat and mass transfer. Lighting control systems will also be developed to minimise energy consumption while allowing efficient growth and product formation of algae. (iii) The PBR systems will be designed an operated at 1 m3 scale which will be sufficient scale to allow easy scale of these systems (iv) The reactor will constructed, commission and characterised. (v) These internally lit PBR concepts will be centred on high value product formation and will be tested and evaluated with Heamotoccus pluvalis for the production of cells and astaxanthin.

Potential Impact:
The markets for Algae are growing and the demand for algal is rapidly developing in the UK and Europe. There are already some well-developed sectors using specialised products such as fish feed for marine fish hatcheries. While the food, feed, cosmetic and health sectors are looking to algae to make innovative sustainable products. There are many potential applications for light manipulation in aquaculture. This potential will be well served by internally lit PBR providing the reliable production of high quality algae and their products. Internally lit PBR can be applied at many levels not only as production unit itself but also integrated into grow out in low intensity raceway systems as an inoculant stage.
Within the current and planned future projects run by CSAR and CCFP we are well-positioned to develop the impact of the project. We are well connected internationally and have extensive collaboration networks of academics and industry in the UK and Europe. We (KJF, RWL) are part of the proposed BBSRC IB network initiative in algae biotechnology. We will disseminate this work through these established networks and refereed publications, after patent protection.

We lead the EnAlgea project (£14m, Energetic Algae, Dr Robin Shields (PI)) on behalf of INTEREG NW Europe who commissioned project to investigate and promote the use of algae in energy and related industries. Its main aims are to coordinate a series of pilot plants, identify barriers to algae development (both scientific and commercial) and develop a decision making tool to assess the potential for use of large scale algae processes and processing. This has over 20 partners (academic, industry, regional governments, trade associations and European regulatory bodies) and a further 10 official observers. This high profile project will run through the duration of the current project and its activities will be synergistic with this project. We will disseminate our results through Enalgae activities.

We (RWL (CI) and KJF (CI) together with Dr Robin Shields (PI)) also run the Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC) for Algal Biotechnology, a Welsh Government financed initiative to develop and support advise industry in Wales and beyond. This will be used to developed and extend the use of internally lit PBR. The KTC has an excellent track record in successfully generating grants and projects with local industry to utilisation algae in waste remediation included digester wastes and flue gas utilisation, supply trial materials for feeds, and for natural product discovery. Most notable is the ACCOMPLISH project investigating the potential for algae growth on wastes and low value coke oven gases. In past 3 years, the academics and the 3 staff employed on the project have assisted 130 enterprises within the UK. We have organised and given 6 seminars, undertaken 17 collaborative R and D projects and set up 4 studentships. 6 product or processes have been developed including 1 patent, £400k investment has been induced and £3m funding secured mainly associated with European projects, EPSRC funded project Macrobiocrude (<£2m) and the Welsh government (ACCOMPLISH 600k). We have set up a new University spin-out Cambrian Phycosystems to be established to exploit algal production technology. The focus of this company is mainly on Reactors, lighting systems and downstream processing for algae production. The pathway to manufacture of the reactors will be through Cambrian Phycosystems. The KTC has just received renewed funding For the KTC concentrating on PBR design, lighting systems, process and ecological modelling and high value products.

We have 1 UK patent pending (GB2482083) lighting within PBR and are actively seeking further patents in the field of control of lighting within PBR with our University Research and Innovation Department. It is anticipated that these patents will be exploited through the spin out Cambrian Physcosystems.