The newly launched SALINA project is developing scalable macroalgae cultivation systems and optimising resource-efficient processing methods to provide sustainable alternatives to fossil-based ingredients. By diversifying both cultivation techniques and biomass processing, this initiative aims to deliver bio-based ingredients for the food, cosmetic, and construction industries.
The European Union is looking to its aquatic resources to help diversify raw material supply chains. Led by ASINCAR, the Agri-Food Cluster of Asturias, a newly formed consortium of 22 partners from 11 countries has launched SALINA (Scalable Macroalgae Cultivation Systems for Innovative Applications). This initiative aims to prove the feasibility of diversified, low-carbon seaweed value chains, offering a resilient alternative to import-dependent fossil ingredients.
Backed by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) under the Horizon Europe framework, the four-year project focuses on connecting primary seaweed producers directly to industrial manufacturers through optimised processing pathways. The consortium is validating multi-platform biomass processing to deliver zero-waste, high-value ingredients tailored for three major European industrial sectors, resulting in both business-to-business (B2B) components and consumer-facing (B2C) products: food and sports nutrition, skincare cosmetics, and bio-based construction materials.
“We are focusing on diversification as our core strength,” said Cristina Viera, Project Coordinator at ASINCAR. “SALINA addresses the historic logistical bottlenecks in the seaweed sector. By validating scalable processing methods and utilising diverse cultivation strategies, spanning both sea-based platforms and land-based tank systems, we aim to provide European brands with a stable, predictable, and fully circular alternative to fossil-based raw materials.”
To ensure the project’s sustainability claims are backed by robust science, SALINA will integrate a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework from the outset. Rather than assuming automatic carbon benefits, the project will rigorously evaluate the entire cradle-to-grave footprint of its seaweed-derived products. This assessment will monitor energy inputs, resource efficiency, and carbon cycles across both land and sea cultivation sites, objectively quantifying the true environmental and low-carbon advantages of these marine-derived products compared to traditional fossil alternatives.
The 22-partner network spans the entire bioeconomy value chain, combining the expertise of aquaculture producers, engineering firms, tech providers, and commercial product formulators. The consortium has officially started operations, with four demonstration sites soon rolling out across diverse European marine regions: the North-East Atlantic, North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Baltic Sea. F6S is leading the project’s Dissemination & Communication, as well as the co-creation for public perception and acceptance of macroalgae-based value chains.