MiAlgae Scales Production of Circular Bio-Materials from Whisky Byproducts

GRANGEMOUTH, Scotland — MiAlgae has officially broken ground on a new commercial-scale production facility at the Port of Grangemouth, marking a pivotal shift in the industrialization of circular bio-economy technologies. The expansion is set to dramatically increase the company’s output of algal-based products derived from the distillation byproducts of Scotland’s whisky industry.

Industrializing Circular Fermentation

The new facility represents the culmination of MiAlgae’s proprietary biotechnology platform, which utilizes the nutrient-rich waste water from whisky distillation—known as pot ale—to feed microalgae. By repurposing these industrial byproducts, MiAlgae eliminates the need for water-intensive crops or marine resources typically required for Omega-3 and biomass production.

The Grangemouth site will house large-scale fermentation vessels capable of producing thousands of tonnes of algal biomass annually. While the primary market application focuses on sustainable Omega-3 for aquaculture and pet food, the scaling of this technology provides a significant new source of raw algal material. This biomass is increasingly viewed as a vital feedstock for the bioplastics sector, offering a biodegradable alternative to fossil-fuel-based polymers and fillers.

Advancing the Bio-Economy Infrastructure

The site selection at Grangemouth is strategic, placing the facility within one of Scotland’s key industrial hubs with direct access to necessary logistics and supply chains. This “waste-to-value” model not only secures a sustainable supply of bio-materials but also assists the whisky industry in managing processing residues in an environmentally positive manner.

“This expansion is a testament to the viability of circular manufacturing,” a company spokesperson noted regarding the groundbreaking. “By scaling our fermentation process, we are proving that industrial co-products can serve as the foundation for high-value biological materials, reducing the carbon footprint of multiple supply chains simultaneously.”

The facility is expected to reach full operational capacity by late 2026, positioning MiAlgae as a central player in the global shift toward fermentation-based material production.

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