CHITOSE Group, a leading company of MATSURI project, starts operating the world’s largest microalgae production facility

CHITOSE Group (hereinafter “CHITOSE”) announced the world’s largest^*1 construction of 5-hectare microalgae production facility called “CHITOSE Carbon Capture Central (hereinafter ‘C4’)” was completed and the production of microalgae has been started in Sarawak, Malaysia. CHITOSE plans to establish the stable, continuous, and large-scale production of microalgae. CHITOSE’s production technology aims at proceeding with the application development for a wide range of industrial materials including fuels and plastics. This project is funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)^*2.

Video:https://youtu.be/Z5l0LaaC7k8

CHITOSE aims Zero Carbon Emission through the photoautotrophic microalgae production and through MATSURI project, which aims at the establishment of a microalgae-based industry replacing the petroleum-based industry^*3. At the same time, CHITOSE aims at developing diverse products used in daily life from microalgae including fuels, plastics, foods and toiletry in collaborations with our business partners. C4 is expected to demonstrate the efficient and scalable production of microalgal biomass (utilizing PhotoBioReactor technologies). At C4, the exhausted gas from the neighboring coal-fired power plant is used as a carbon source, and the produced microalgal biomass will be used for sustainable productions of e.g. SAF and other products. C4 is expected to produce 350 dry tons of microalgal biomass per year fixing 700 tons of CO2 per year.

Towards 2030, CHITOSE is planning to expand the production to 2,000 ha and is currently in the process of raising funds for this plan. In algae production on a scale of 2000 ha, approximately 140,000 dry tons of microalgal dry-biomass per year will be produced, and the production cost will be less than USD2.5 per kg biomass. Hence, the produced microalgal biomass will be used as a raw material for various products. Further, CHITOSE is aiming to expand the production to over 10,000,000 ha, which is approximately 1/20 of the world maize harvested area and will produce 700,000,000 dry tons of microalgal biomass annually. The production cost will potentially fall to less than USD0.5 per kg biomass. CHITOSE will continue to promote Zero Carbon Emission and realize a sustainable society.

*1 Scalable flat-panel type photobioreactor system suitable for the efficient production of microalgal biomass.
*2 Development of bio-jet fuel production technology / Development of microalgae base technology / Power plant exhaust gas and flexible plastic film type photo under the outdoor environment of tropical climate
*3 Autotrophic and Heterotrophic productions
In autotrophic production based on photosynthesis, solar and inorganic carbon, CO2, are used as energy and carbon sources, respectively. Autotrophic production, therefore, is considered as sustainable energy/material production.
In Heterotrophic production, organic compounds such as sugars are used as both energy and carbon sources. Although the system is able to offer a stable production, it is considered as a CO2 emitting conversion process.

Regarding C4 Grand Opening
We accept requests to participate for interview purposes.
Please contact at pr@chitose-bio.com

C4 Grand Opening
● Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2023, 10:00–11:00
● Venue: C4 in Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia
● Outline: C4 Opening government officials from Sarawak State and Japan. C4 site tour is also organized by CHITOSE
C4 Launching Ceremony
● Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 10:30–13:30
● Venue: C4 in Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia
● Outline: C4 Launching Ceremony with the Premier of Sarawak, local partners and MATSURI partners from Japan and a networking event and a C4 site tour organized by CHITOSE

Related Press Release
Development of the low-cost and large-scale 3D type microalgae production facility ~releasing the world’s largest microalgae production facility under a tropical environment~
https://chitose-bio.com/jp/news/2657/
The demonstration of the large-scale 5 ha microalgae production for bio jet fuel has started in Malaysia ~ Accepted for the NEDO project~
https://chitose-bio.com/jp/news/3514/
The world’s first attempt, MATSURI project, which aims towards the establishment of a microalgae-based bioindustry for realization of carbon neutrality, has started collaborating with 9 industries and 20 institutions.
https://chitose-bio.com/jp/news/3860/

MATSURI
MATSURI project aims towards the establishment of an advanced microalgae-based industry. CHITOSE Group has a considerable expertise in large-scale microalgae production technologies, and is leading MATSURI project collaborating with Japanese progressive enterprises. As what MATSURI means in Japanese, CHITOSE keeps leading a festival to develop a sustainable society.
https://matsuri.chitose-bio.com/

MATSURI Gallery: https://matsuri.chitose-bio.com/pages/gallery

About CHITOSE Group
CHITOSE Group is a family of biotechnology companies leading a global bioeconomy.
To live in abundance beyond the next millennium using the ability of living things, CHITOSE pursues the possibilities of biotechnology through technological and business development collaborating with our business partners all over the world.
https://chitose-bio.com/
■About CHITOSE BIO EVOLUTION PTE. LTD.（Head office that oversees entire Group）
Established in October, 2011
Head Office located in Singapore
CEO Tomohiro FUJITA, Ph. D.
■About CHITOSE Laboratory Corp.
Established in November, 2002
Head Office located in Kanagawa, Japan
CEO Tomohiro FUJITA, Ph. D.
COO Rie KUGIMIYA
Source: CHITOSE Group (CHITOSE BIO EVOLUTION PTE. LTD.)