RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT - How Iceland could have a starring role as a sustainable alternative protein exporter to Northern Europe

Iceland could help address Northern Europe’s food security issues with the scaling-up of its industrial production of Spirulina – an alternative protein source that is nutritious, sustainable and risk resilient. Under the most ambitious of estimations, Iceland could be protein self-sufficient and capable of feeding more than six million Europeans every year, a new feasibility study suggests.

It has been reported that Spirulina contains a higher content of protein (up to 70% per 100g) than meat from beef cattle (up to 30% per 100g lean meat), with the average European consuming nearly 80kg of beef meat per year. While Spirulina is currently less affordable than beef, it is anticipated that once it similarly becomes produced at mass-scale, the price would become more affordable.

In Iceland, Spirulina is already produced successfully in a novel, industrial-scale, biomass cultivation system powered by renewable energy. Currently in operation is the Hellisheidi Production Unit, operated by Vaxa Iceland, and situated in the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. The production process is carbon neutral.

"By relocating electricity currently consumed by heavy industry, Iceland could transition to a position as a major and sustainable alternative protein exporter." Dr Catherine Richards, Dept of Materials Science and Metallurgy.

In Iceland, Spirulina is already produced successfully in a novel, industrial-scale, biomass cultivation system powered by renewable energy. Currently in operation is the Hellisheidi Production Unit, operated by Vaxa Iceland, and situated in the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. The production process is carbon neutral.

For the purpose of the feasibility study, Dr Asaf Tzachor and Dr Catherine Richards, from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with researchers from Denmark and Iceland, explored Iceland’s role in supporting Northern European countries to achieve protein self-sufficiency. Data from the Hellisheidi Production Unit is used as a benchmark for the researchers’ protein self-sufficiency feasibility model. The model is used to assess scenarios of further scale-up of Iceland’s Spirulina production capacity and export of the edible biomass. 

Publication: Asaf Tzachor, Catherine E. Richards, at al. ‘The potential role of Iceland in Northern Europe’s protein self-sufficiency: feasibility study of large-scale production of Spirulina in a novel energy-food system'. Foods (2022). DOI: 10.3390/foods12010038