Dear COSEC project friends, this Easter, may your baskets be filled with joy, prosperity, and the blessings of the season. Warmest wishes from the COSEC project team!
So proud to inform you, that the COSEC project was showcased during the technical session “Water–Energy–Food Nexus: an unavoidable link” held at the University of Almería CIES 2026. The session brought together experts to explore innovative approaches in: - Solar-driven water treatment - Wastewater regeneration and reuse - Resource recovery through nature-based and biological systems. COSEC contributes to this nexus by promoting sustainable, circular solutions for water management, integrating resource efficiency, environmental protection, and climate resilience. A valuable opportunity to connect with stakeholders and foster collaboration towards a more efficient and circular water sector.
Breaking News: Revolutionary CO2 Capture with Microalgae! We are thrilled to share the exciting news of a recent publication by our esteemed partners from the University of Almeria! Our colleague, F. Gabriel Acien, has co-authored an impactful article titled "Demonstration of Direct Air Capture of CO2 using microalgae raceway reactors." This groundbreaking research could change the way we think about carbon capture and sustainability. Dive into the full article here: https://tiny.pl/3fv-hryc6
Unlocking the Potential of Algae in Regional Bioeconomy – COSEC Project in Action. On March 25th, 2026, the COSEC project actively contributed to the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (PDE) event titled “Algas en Castilla y León: Innovación, Bioeconomía, Mercados y Nuevas Oportunidades Industriales”, held at the PRAE Building in Valladolid. The event gathered a highly diverse multi-actor ecosystem of more than 40 stakeholders, representing the full algae value chain and innovation landscape. Participants profile included: - Universities & Research Organisations (e.g., University of Valladolid, ITACyL, University of León) - Technology Centres (e.g., CARTIF, CIDAUT) - Companies and SMEs across multiple sectors: - Biofertilizers and agriculture inputs - Food and feed industries - Cosmetics and nutraceuticals - Water and environmental services - Industry Associations & Clusters (e.g., ASFACYL, AEFA, APROMAR) - Public bodies and innovation agencies (e.g., SOMACyL, ICECyL, regional initiatives). This strong representation highlights the cross-sectoral nature of the algae bioeconomy, linking primary production with downstream applications and market deployment. As part of the programme, Francisco Gabriel Acién Fernández (University of Almería & Vice-President of EABA) delivered a keynote presentation on “The potential of algae in the blue bioeconomy and their strategic role for inland regions”, highlighting how algae production is not limited to coastal areas and can become a transformative opportunity for inland territories. Key messages included: - The versatility of algae production systems (phototrophic, heterotrophic, marine and freshwater) - Their wide range of applications (food, feed, biofertilizers, cosmetics, biofuels) - Their role in circular economy approaches, including wastewater valorisation and CO₂ capture. The event combined technical discussion and interactive matchmaking sessions, enabling participants to: - Identify technological challenges and market barriers - Exchange knowledge, capabilities and needs - Explore new industrial opportunities and collaborative business models. The high level of engagement and diversity of actors confirms the growing strategic relevance of algae as a driver for regional innovation, sustainability and industrial competitiveness. Through initiatives like this, the COSEC project continues to strengthen collaboration, accelerate knowledge transfer, and support the development of a robust and investment-ready algae-based bioeconomy ecosystem in Europe.
Training in Microalgae-Related Industrial Processes
Today we've marked a beginning of the 2026 work by virtual General Assembly, which was an excellent opportunity to set up goals and exchange necccessary info. Stay with us for more info about the COSEC project!
As we wrap up 2025, the inaugural year of the COSEC project, it’s time to reflect on our remarkable achievements. This year has been a journey of innovation and success, and we couldn’t have done it without your support! Technological Advances: Optimization in Raceway Reactors: We’ve refined fluid dynamics and mass transfer in large-scale raceway reactors, enhancing CO₂ transfer efficiency while reducing energy demand. This includes experimental insights into water depth, mixing intensity, and reactor configuration. Microalgae & CO₂ Capture: We successfully coupled microalgae biomass production with direct CO₂ capture from the atmosphere, proving that atmospheric CO₂ fixation is viable in open raceway systems under real-world conditions. Modeling for Productivity: Our team developed and validated modeling approaches that describe biomass productivity and biochemical composition in large-scale reactors. This supports process understanding, seasonal performance analysis, and future scale-ups. Biomass Storage Solutions: We made strides in long-term storage and conservation strategies for wet microalgae biomass, focusing on stabilization methods that preserve quality and enable flexible integration with downstream bioenergy and biorefinery processes. Global Presence: We attended major algae and biomass events like AlgaEurope 2024 & 2025, the International Congress on Algae Biotechnology, and Bio360 Expo 2025. We also enjoyed meeting members of our team in person during our gatherings in Faro and Almeria. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us. Your support fuels our passion and drive for innovation. Stay tuned for more exciting news in 2026!
The COSEC project team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Can't wait all of the opportunities which comes together with 2026!
We are back, still full of excitement related to the second COSEC in-person General Assembly in the University of Almeria facilities. It was great time, full of exchanges and knowledge. Except of WP advances discussions, we've had an opportunity to visit University of Almeria's algae sites, as well as facilties of the Biorizon Biotech company - all in order to see from inside work on algae biomass production. Once again, many thanks to the wonderful hoists from Universidad de Almería - Tomas & Gabriel. In the gallery you will find photorelation from this event.
We are so happy to announce that we are just after our next virtual General Assembly of the COSEC project - wonderful opportunity to discuss about the project advances and plan next actions before our autumn in-person Almeria meeting. Many thanks to all members of the team!
We are thrilled to share that the COSEC project was showcased at the 1st International Congress on Algae Biotechnology, which takes place next week in Lisbon! Our esteemed colleague from NECTON, Mariana Carneiro, had the honor of chairing the session titled "Towards Algae Industry Automation: AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Neural Networks." Mariana also presented an insightful poster on our project, intriguingly titled "When Life Gives You Drainwater, Grow Microalgae." This event provided a fantastic opportunity to highlight our project's advancements and goals to an international audience. Stay connected for more exciting updates about our project.
So happy to announce that yesterday, 7th of April, we've had an excellent opportunity to discuss recent advances in the COSEC project during our virtual General Assembly. I was great chance to dicuss about what was done and what are next steps for the nearest future, inclugind algae strains testing. Many thanks to all partners for their engagement and activity!
We encourage to you follow @Bio360 Expo 2025 (Nantes, France) - an event dedicated to bioenergy and bioeconomy, where our #COSEC project coordinator, Uma Sagaram is one of the speakers! More about event you can find here: https://www.bio360expo.com/ConferenceList/560?part=P2863TQ206695364
The COSEC project was present at AlgaEurope 2024!
We are so delighted to inform that the kick-off of the project #COSEC - Biogenic CO2 capture into Sustainable Energy Carriers - happened at Universidade do Algarve on the 8th of October 2024.