Anaerobic digestion allows the recovery of renewable energy from organic waste streams through the production of energy-rich biogas. This biogas is conventionally burnt in a combined heat and power (CHP) unit for electricity and residual heat production. However, the inherent low value of electricity, which is expected to further decrease in the coming decades, related to the ongoing developments in photovoltaics, hamper the economic feasibility of the anaerobic digestion process. Thus, novel valorisation pathways for biogas should be developed. Moreover, the World not only faces a renewable energy supply challenge, but also the sustainable provision of high-quality feed and food to the growing World population is pressing challenge that requires game-changing solutions.

The key objective of the Biogas-MAMBO project is to “kill two birds with one stone”, by developing a novel valorisation route for biogas through the direct production of high-quality microbial protein for feed applications. This requires a novel supply chain in which the different stages from biogas purification through membrane-based technologies and pressure swing adsorption over microbial protein production, processing and feed application will be developed.