Biomethane and biomethanol fermentation can produce microbial lipids at competitive selling prices

Abstract Conventional production of food lipids is environmentally damaging and may struggle to meet growing global demand, as many solid fats derive from animal sources and many plant oils depend on monocultures and tropical crops. Here we evaluate whether microbial production of food lipids from renewable carbon sources could provide a viable alternative using a conceptual modeling study that estimates process performance, costs, and resource availability. The analysis examines lipid-accumulating microbes grown on methane and methanol derived from organic waste, focusing on the production of phospholipids and triacylglycerols and estimating feedstock availability in Europe using published data and market prices. We estimate minimum selling prices of 14.2 United States dollars per kilogram for phospholipids and 10 United States dollars per kilogram for triacylglycerols, with costs mainly driven by carbon source, labor, electricity, and capital, suggesting potential economic and technical feasibility under favorable assumptions.