Exploring the techno-economic feasibility of biomass fermentation

What determines the economic feasibility of biomass fermentation? To address this, The ProteInn Club and Ur Brightside conducted a Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA), supported by VLAIO, designed to deliver generic and widely applicable results. A TEA integrates technical and economic factors to evaluate process viability. Using a generic 10 kTa industrial biomass plant as the base, the study combined input from industry members, scientific data, and financial models. It covered 1.000 feedstock-microorganism-product combinations, leading to a Quickscan tool for fast evaluation of new fermentation concepts and identifying key performance indicators with the greatest importance. Want to receive the complete study? Request the full report using the mailing info below.

Generic study incorporating member company input

The journey was highly collaborative. The ProteInn Club partnered with Ur Bright Side to acquire in-depth expertise and methodological knowledge in the area of TEA. Furthermore, the study needed to truly reflect the realities of our member companies. So, by means of industrial sounding board sessions,their input was captured and discussed. Questions included: Which process parameters and cost drivers matter the most in your specific operations? To which level do they vary? This co-creation process ensured that the study remained relevant, practical, and representative of the ecosystem as a whole.

Figure 1: Industrial sounding board session at Puratos, where The ProteInn Club member companies shared insights on key process parameters and cost drivers as part of the co-creation process.

Building a model

Fermentation-based protein production can utilise a wide range of feedstocks, microorganisms, and target products. However, the underlying process architecture typically follows a standard set of unit operations. The efficiency of these operations is governed by a few Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are broadly applicable across biomanufacturing processes. These KPIs, such as yield, productivity, and biomass concentration, have a direct impact on both capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX), and ultimately determine the economic viability of the production process.

A TEA was carried out for a generic Single Cell Protein (SCP) production process at a scale of 10 kTa, representing a revenue potential of approximately US$ 57 million.

Four high impact Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the four most impactful KPIs on financial performance:

Fermentation productivity (g/L/h)
Yield on carbon source (%)
Cell dry weight (CDW) (g/L)
Carbon source price (USD/kg DM)

A QuickScan Matrix to identify the feasibility window

These KPIs were then mapped across more than 1.000 microorganism–feedstock–product combinations in a QuickScan matrix, enabling rapid screening of promising fermentation concepts. In the matrix, costs of goods sold (COGS), product cost, and CAPEX were calculated for each scenario.

This provided a feasibility window, a set of conditions under which SCP production is likely to be economically viable. The results suggest that processes are most robust when productivity exceeds 1 g/L/h, yield surpasses 30–40%, biomass concentrations remain above 30 g/L, and carbon source costs stay below USD 0.40/kg.

Importantly, the TEA also revealed that not all KPIs contribute equally across the full performance range. Improvements in carbon yield and reductions in feedstock cost show a strong, linear effect on profitability, making them particularly attractive levers for R&D focus. In contrast, improvements in CDW and productivity have a plateauing effect: gains in financial performance level off above 50 g/L for CDW and 2 g/L/h for productivity, as benefits from faster fermentations are offset by fixed infrastructure costs, DSP bottlenecks, and reactor limitations.

Overall conclusions and key insights

The TEA confirms that SCP production can be economically viable at industrial scale, provided key process parameters fall within realistic performance targets. The model evaluates a representative fermentation facility with a production capacity of 10,000 metric tons per year (10 kTa), yielding a projected revenue of USD 57 million.

Under baseline assumptions, including a carbon yield of 40%, cell biomass concentration (CDW) of 50 g/L, carbon source price of USD 0.30/kg, and productivity of 1 g/L/h, the plant demonstrates healthy financials.

Achieving these values will significantly improve economic performance and reduce scale-up risk. The Quickscan framework can guide microbial strain selection, feedstock strategy, and process engineering focus, aligning technical development with commercial viability.

Sharing knowledge

The co-creation process culminated in a dedicated workshop led by Ur Bright Side at Ghent University’s Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. Using the newly developed QuickScan Matrix, the session brought together our industrial sounding board members to bridge the gap between fermentation science and business decision-making. Taking place in the familiar setting of t’Boerekot, the workshop also sparked good old memories for many of the attendees.

By visualising the economically feasible process window for SCP production, the tool enabled the Club’s members to explore critical process parameters and cost drivers in an interactive way. The lively discussions and constructive feedback ensured that the TEA framework not only reflects industrial realities but also offers a practical guide for early-stage decision-making in fermentation-based protein innovation.

Figure 2: The ProteInn Club members during an exploratory workshop at Ghent University. Divided into groups, participants worked hands-on with the TEA framework through a case study simulating the role of an R&D Director at a food company considering investment in a new Single Cell Protein facility. Using inputs from Marketing, Procurement, Fermentation, Process, and Finance departments, each team was tasked to prepare a one-page project brief. This interactive exercise demonstrated how the TEA model can be applied in practice to assess economic viability, identify technical risks, and define R&D targets for achieving profitability.

This project exemplifies the power of collective action. By working together, we can unlock the immense potential of biomass fermentation and contribute to a more sustainable and protein-secure future.

At The ProteInn Club, we believe in open collaboration and knowledge sharing to accelerate industry growth. We are excited to make the full TEA report available to our members and the broader community.

To receive your copy and gain valuable insights into optimising your biomass fermentation processes for maximum economic success: send your request to info@proteinnclub.be.

Acknowledgements

At The ProteInn Club, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Founded by four organisations, our mission is to accelerate innovation in the fermentation-based protein ecosystem. The project ‘Ferm Eiwit’ – supported by VLAIO – brings together industry players to tackle common challenges and build shared knowledge.