Alg4Hyd
Unlocking the Green Potential
Alg4Hyd
A project to create a scalable and sustainable hydrogen solution
Alg4Hyd is a multidisciplinary project dedicated to unlocking the green potential of microalgae for bio-hydrogen production. It directly responds to the need for clean energy carriers by developing a cost-effective, carbon-negative process that can move from lab-scale research to pilot-scale validation.
1
Improve hydrogen production efficiency through genetic optimization of microalgae.
2
Scale up photobioreactor systems for efficient indoor bio-hydrogen production.
3
Demonstrate pilot scale bio-hydrogen prodcution and advance the technology from TRL3 to TRL5
4
Integrate bio-hydrogen with proton exchange membrane fuel cells for energy production.
5
Close the loop by valorizing spent algal biomass for circular economy applications.
Scientific ambition
Alg4Hyd builds on recent breakthroughs in microalgal hydrogen research, especially work on the pgr5 mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which has shown strong hydrogen production performance. The project goes further by identifying the best wild-type genetic backgrounds, creating new gene-edited strains, and extending the approach to Chlorella species.
Scope and approach
The project is organized around seven work packages over 36 months. It combines strain screening, molecular engineering, bioreactor optimization, fuel cell testing, biomass valorization, system assessment, and dissemination.
Alg4Hyd
Consortium Partners
Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas
FORTH is the premier multidisciplinary research institution in Greece with well-organized facilities and a reputation as a top-level research institution worldwide. FORTH will investigate the use of PEMFCs for bio-H2, focusing on performance, efficiency, and direct feed scenarios. The study will develop materials and integration improvements. Electrochemistry and Fuel Cells Laboratory is equipped with advanced synthesis and fabrication facilities, as well as instruments for material characterization (XPS, in-situ XRD, MS-TGA, SEM-EDS, BET, etc.) and electrochemical studies (reactors, flow systems, electronic loads, potentiostats, etc.). Experienced staff supports reactor construction and experimental setups.
MG Sustainable Engineering
MGS (MG Sustainable) is a Swedish SME specialized in sustainability in industry with experience in techno economic environmental impact assessment and particular expertise in solar energy integration in industry. MGS will lead TEA, LCA and s-LCA tasks within Alg4Hyd and be in charge of reporting and knowledge community activities.
Molecular Photobioenergetics Research Group
BRC, Szeged is a research institution with expertise in plant biology, genetics, biochemistry, and biophysics. The Laboratory of Molecular Photobioenergetics focuses on harnessing the power of photosynthesis for renewable energy generation, particularly H2 production. This lab has developed a novel, highly efficient method for H2 production from algae, protected by a European patent. The BRC partner, in addition to standard laboratory equipment, has access to advanced research facilities, namely metabolomics and plant phenotyping. BRC will lead the microalgae strain selection and genetic modifications to increase bio-H2 production and also the valorization of the microalgal biomass in agriculture.
The University of Gothenburg
The University of Gothenburg), Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, specializes in plant biology and biotechnology research and provides advanced infrastructure and resources for algal cultivation, photosynthesis studies, and analytical methods. This includes tools such as gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, microscopy, and molecular analysis. GU will be the lead in the genetic modifications and strain selection processes.
EGE University Bioengineering
EGE University Bioengineering is the first bioengineering department established in Türkiye, acting as a pioneer in the bioengineering field with a strong background on bioprocess engineering contributing to the scientific world on a universal scale. The EGE microalgae process group focuses on production, valuable chemicals, renewable energy applications like biodiesel, green diesel and bio-H2 other than the wastewater treatment and nanotechnology. The EGE group will lead the consortium based on its capabilities with regards to numerous national and international projects and industrial partners. EGE will lead the microalgal bio-H2 process from laboratory to pilot scale in the PBRs.