Global potential of sustainable single-cell protein based on variable renewable electricity

IF 14.7 1区 综合性期刊 Q1 MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES Nature Communications Pub Date : 2025-02-10 DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-56364-1
Mahdi Fasihi, Fatemeh Jouzi, Petri Tervasmäki, Pasi Vainikka, Christian Breyer
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Abstract

The environmental impacts of the food system exceed several planetary boundaries, with protein production being a major contributor. Single-Cell Protein (SCP) is a protein-rich microbial biomass that offers a sustainable alternative when derived from renewable energy and sustainable feedstocks. We evaluate the global potential for SCP production utilising electrolytic hydrogen and oxygen, atmospheric carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and hourly-optimised hybrid PV-wind power plants at a 0.45° × 0.45° spatial resolution. We outline a roadmap for industrial-scale production, commencing in 2028, targeting an annual capacity of 30 million tonnes of protein by 2050. Here we show that the cost of renewable electricity-based protein (e-protein) could decline at optimal sites from 5.5–6.1 € kg−1 in 2028 to 4.0–4.5 € kg−1 by 2030, and further to 2.1–2.3 € kg−1 by 2050. Consequently, e-protein production can mostly decouple protein supply from water and arable land constraints, substantially mitigating the environmental impacts of food production.

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食品系统对环境的影响超过了多个地球极限,而蛋白质生产是其中的一个主要因素。单细胞蛋白质(SCP)是一种富含蛋白质的微生物生物质,如果从可再生能源和可持续原料中提取,它将是一种可持续的替代品。我们以 0.45° × 0.45° 的空间分辨率评估了利用电解氢气和氧气、大气中的二氧化碳和氮气以及每小时优化的光伏-风能混合发电厂生产 SCP 的全球潜力。我们概述了工业规模生产的路线图,从 2028 年开始,目标是到 2050 年实现年产 3000 万吨蛋白质。我们在此表明,在最佳地点,可再生电力蛋白质(电子蛋白质)的成本可从 2028 年的 5.5-6.1 欧元/千克-1 降至 2030 年的 4.0-4.5 欧元/千克-1,到 2050 年进一步降至 2.1-2.3 欧元/千克-1。因此,电子蛋白质生产在很大程度上可以使蛋白质供应与水和耕地限制脱钩,从而大大减轻粮食生产对环境的影响。
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来源期刊
Nature Communications
Nature Communications Biological Science Disciplines-
CiteScore
24.90
自引率
2.40%
发文量
6928
审稿时长
3.7 months
期刊介绍: Nature Communications, an open-access journal, publishes high-quality research spanning all areas of the natural sciences. Papers featured in the journal showcase significant advances relevant to specialists in each respective field. With a 2-year impact factor of 16.6 (2022) and a median time of 8 days from submission to the first editorial decision, Nature Communications is committed to rapid dissemination of research findings. As a multidisciplinary journal, it welcomes contributions from biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences, aiming to highlight important breakthroughs within each domain.
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