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Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | 91��Ƭ�� (UC) academics Dr Carlo Carere and Professor Matthew Stott are part of a research team working alongside Tauhara North No. 2 Trust, Scion and Upflow in the development of an alternative source of protein derived from microorganisms.

The biomass produced represents a potential new animal feed generated from renewable resources.��

A recent press release on the project explained how “biomass is created when indigenous extremophile microorganisms feed off greenhouse gas emissions captured from geothermal power stations, such as those used to generate electricity in the central North Island. The biomass produced is made up of several potentially commercially viable components, including protein for animal feed.”��

“Palm kernel extract* is often used as a protein supplement in different industries,” says Dr Carere, of UC’s Department of Chemical and Process Engineering. “By developing high protein feeds from microorganisms, we hope to displace some of these imports.”

Professor Stott of UC’s School of Biological Sciences confirms the team are eager to see this research have real world impact on Aotearoa New Zealand.

“We are using indigenous extremophilic microorganisms to convert climate-active gases into sustainable food products, and that to me, is the ultimate goal. This is using home-grown New Zealand technology to have an impact globally, on things that concern us, which are climate change and food security.”

Research content shared with permission.

*UC Professors Sally Gaw, Brett Robinson and Dr Hadee Thompson-Morrison wrote about the potentially harmful impact of palm kernel on New Zealand’s dairy cows in this article for The Conversation in 2022 (SDG 15: Life on Land).