Algae oil producer Veramaris opens $200m Nebraska plant

Algae oil maker Veramaris has opened a $200 million, commercial-scale facility in Blair, Nebraska, that it says will produce ample quantities of an oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can serve as an alternative to conventional fish oil.

Veramaris, a joint venture between German specialty chemical giant Evonik Industries and Dutch nutrition conglomerate Royal DSM, said in a press release that the oil is produced by growing the marine algae strain Schizochytrium at industrial scale in bio-reactors. The oil produced is rich in both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and will produce roughly 15% of the current annual demand for those two fatty acids, the company has said. 

"In response to the aquaculture industry’s call for novel and sustainable sources of EPA and DHA, Veramaris’ production capacity is equivalent to 1.2 million metric tons of wild-catch fish. This will meet around 15% of the entire salmon farming industry's annual demand for EPA and DHA – providing a significant contribution to conserving the biodiversity in our oceans and reducing pressure on marine wild catch fisheries," the company said in a press release. 

The new plant will be located adjacent to Evonik’s current facility on Cargill’s site, with access to the raw materials needed to produce the oil, the company said. Blair was chosen as Evonik has been operating a facility there for the fermentative production of Biolys - the amino acid L-lysine - for almost 20 years.

Source : Undercurrent News