AlgaeCytes receives building permit for investment at Dessau airfield
Kick off for world's largest algae factory in Saxony-Anhalt
The Lord Mayor of Dessau-Roßlau, Dr. Robert Reck, has officially handed over the building permit for an algae factory to the company AlgaeCytes. A corresponding plant is to be built at the Dessau airfield by the end of 2022. Once completed, the factory will be the largest of its kind in the world. Reck spoke of a "milestone" for the city.
The AlgaeCytes site covers an area of 10 hectares at the northern end of the airfield. The factory building will provide space for 20 bioreactors for algae production. A total of 50 to 70 jobs will be created there. The company is investing around 55 million euros in the construction of the plant.
The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for this summer. Completion of the building is scheduled for December, with production starting in February 2023.
Various substances are produced from the cultivated algae, such as omega-3 fatty acids. These are used, among other things, as dietary supplements, in the production of medicines or in cosmetics. Until now, such fatty acids have been obtained from fish, which also contributes to the overfishing of the oceans. In contrast, algae products are much more sustainable. The pure algae mass can be used as fertilizer after extraction of fatty acids and other substances. The production of 300 tons of algae per year is planned.
The Lord Mayor of Dessau-Roßlau, Dr. Robert Reck, expressed his satisfaction: "I am delighted that this milestone, which is also so important for our city, has been reached on the road to the Green Economy. AlgaeCytes provides an impulse investment that has an impact far beyond the city's borders. It shows that we have the expertise in the region to implement such projects."
The Managing Director of AlgaeCytes Germany GmbH, Andrew J. Cosentino, is also delighted: "We're looking forward to moving to Dessau. It's an exciting step for all of us." He thanked the city of Dessau-Roßlau for its support during the relocation process and for quickly granting the building permit. He added that the location of Dessau-Roßlau was very attractive because of its central position in Europe and its connection to the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences with its research expertise. Following a pilot plant in Kent (England), the company is building its first large algae factory here.
Source: verwaltung.dessau-rosslau.de