Consistently high quality and maximum
yield in the production of microalgae

Microalgae are a sought-after resource for the production of food supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal feed. However, overcoming the complex challenges of industrial production, especially in the pre-cultivation phase, requires know-how, experience and a perfectly tuned cultivation system. For this purpose, Subitec offers cost-efficient and turnkey microalgae production systems with cultivation modules optimally designed to meet the requirements: from pre-culture to industrial production, complete with cultivation infrastructure, which together successfully bridge the gap between economical production, maximum possible sterility in the process chain, higher biomass yields and consistently high product quality. At the heart of these modules are the patented flat-panel airlift photobioreactors that perform photosynthesis efficiently and gently.

Microalgae are a sought-after resource for the production of food supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal feed. However, overcoming the complex challenges of industrial production, especially in the pre-cultivation phase, requires know-how, experience and a perfectly tuned cultivation system. For this purpose, Subitec offers cost-efficient and turnkey microalgae production systems with cultivation modules optimally designed to meet the requirements: …

… from pre-culture to industrial production, complete with cultivation infrastructure, which together successfully bridge the gap between economical production, maximum possible sterility in the process chain, higher biomass yields and consistently high product quality. At the heart of these modules are the patented flat-panel airlift photobioreactors that perform photosynthesis efficiently and gently.

Transform your research and industrial production with our advanced microalgae cultivation systems.

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Scale up potential - Microalgae Production
Improved mixing - Microalgae Production
Reduced shear stress - Microalgae Production
Closed system - Microalgae Production
Precise control - Microalgae Production
Higher CO2 utilization - Microalgae Production
Small space requirement - Microalgae Production
Water saving - Microalgae Production
Large photosynthetic surface - Microalgae Production
Reduced shear stress - Microalgae Production
Large photosynthetic surface - Microalgae Production
Higher CO2 utilization - Microalgae Production
Closed system - Microalgae Production
Precise control - Microalgae Production
Small space requirement - Microalgae Production
Water saving - Microalgae Production

Transform your research and industrial production with our cutting-edge microalgae solutions.

Futuristic green city with vertical gardens, wind turbines and waterways, symbolizing carbon capture and climate-neutral urban living enabled by microalgae

Carbon capture with microalgae: innovative solution for climate protection

With the increasing impacts of climate change, innovative environmental sustainability solutions like carbon sequestration are crucial. Microalgae are key due to their CO2 binding ability, offering wide applications in the circular economy. Through photosynthesis, they absorb CO2, release oxygen, and produce valuable substances like omega-3 fatty acids. This makes them pivotal for industries to meet sustainability goals and reduce emissions with additional value. Our Flat Panel Airlift (FPA) reactor technology optimizes carbon sequestration. Efficient CO2 absorption and gas exchange in these bioreactors are vital in the climate change battle, designed to enhance microalgae growth and carbon sequestration efficiency.

Discover environmental innovation for a sustainable future – join the revolution now!

Industrial production: Efficient with turnkey solutions from Subitec

With the industrial production system, Subitec sets new standards in the production of microalgae on an industrial scale. It is a successful combination of stepless expandability and the efficient principle “one Cultivation-Infrastructure serves all CM180-Modules”. The core element is the CM180 module, which is characterized by its compactness: With a footprint of only 16 square meters, it has a cultivation volume of 5.4 cubic meters. Growlight LEDs provide uniform illumination over an area of 285 square meters and, together with internal cooling, self-circulation and efficient gas transfer, offer optimal growth conditions for microalgae.

Explore our game-changing microalgae production system and our compact, efficient technology.

Subitec CM180 cultivation module at the start of operation, designed for high-efficiency microalgae biomass production.

Understanding the industrial production system for microalgae cultivation from Subitec in 126 seconds

Delve into the world of advanced microalgae cultivation with Subitec’s industrial production system. The video gives an insight into the application possibilities, the components and the setup as well as an overview of the entire system. Watch now and learn more.

233-second video guide to microalgae cultivation in the laboratory and on a pre-scale

Find out more about solutions for microalgae cultivation on a laboratory and pre-scale in this 233-second video.. Gain insights into the innovative technology and the diverse application possibilities of the proven flat-panel airlift technology. Click now to watch the video and expand your knowledge.

Subitec photobioreactors in context – from laboratory development to industrial production (Q&A)

Subitec photobioreactors are designed to cultivate microalgae under precisely defined and reproducible conditions. They are used as laboratory, development and pilot systems for process and strain development as well as production systems for industrial and large-scale continuous operation.

Based on this controlled cultivation, microalgae can be utilized for various target products, including high-value ingredients for cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals as well as food and feed applications. The same system technology is also designed to be suitable for large-volume applications such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the future.

Subitec systems are used in laboratory and development environments to investigate and systematically develop microalgae strains and cultivation processes under defined and reproducible conditions. They enable the structured analysis of growth behavior, metabolic profiles and product formation rather than relying solely on empirical observation.

A key aspect is that the reactor technology used at laboratory scale is based on the same physical and process-engineering principles as later industrial systems. This allows results from the development phase to be directly transferred to larger scales without the need to redefine fundamental process assumptions during scale-up.

Light is the central limiting factor in phototrophic microalgae cultivation. Photosynthetic efficiency therefore depends not only on light intensity, but primarily on how uniformly and controllably light is distributed within the culture volume.

Subitec systems are designed to illuminate microalgae over very short light paths. The flat-panel geometry provides a high photosynthetically active surface area relative to reactor volume while reducing zones of shading or overexposure.

A key aspect is the combination of defined light management and controlled mixing. Using the airlift principle, cells are continuously circulated between light-rich and light-poor zones, helping to avoid photoinhibition and efficiently convert light energy into biomass.

Light, mixing and cell density are treated as coupled process parameters and can be precisely aligned and stably operated, maintaining high photosynthetic efficiency even at increasing culture densities. Controlled light management therefore forms a central basis for reproducible growth rates, high biomass productivity and stable process performance across all scales.

In microalgae cultivation, contamination is not an exception but a structural risk. Open or only partially controlled systems are continuously exposed to the ingress of unwanted microorganisms, which can lead to unstable cultures, yield losses or complete process failure.

Subitec systems are designed as closed photobioreactors, providing the basis for controlled and reproducible cultivation. The entry of external organisms can be limited in a targeted manner, while key process parameters such as temperature, pH value, gas composition and nutrient supply are continuously monitored and controlled.

An important factor for process safety is uniform mixing of the culture. The airlift principle enables defined mass and gas transfer without mechanically moving parts in the culture zone, preventing local nutrient gradients, sedimentation or dead zones that could promote the growth of unwanted organisms.

In addition, the clear separation of the culture volume from technical components allows for structured operating and cleaning strategies. Procedures such as start-up, culture changeover or cleaning can be standardized and performed reproducibly without compromising system integrity.

The combination of closed design, controlled process operation and standardized procedures results in a high level of process safety, which is essential for long-term industrial operation and applications with high quality requirements.

Subitec systems are designed for continuous operation in industrial and large-scale production environments. Across all scales, they are based on the same technological core principle and do not differ in system logic between laboratory, pilot and industrial applications, but rather in dimensioning and configuration.

The systems enable controlled long-term operation with stable cultivation conditions over extended periods. Key process parameters such as light distribution, mixing, gas transfer and temperature can be automatically monitored and controlled, allowing biological fluctuations to be managed and consistent product quality to be achieved.

Industrial scaling is implemented through a modular plant concept. Individual reactor units follow identical physical and process-engineering principles and can be combined into larger production clusters without changing the underlying process design. This allows production capacities to be expanded step by step without the need to redevelop processes at each scale.

Another decisive aspect is operational reliability. The closed design reduces contamination risk and enables controlled process management even under industrial conditions. In combination with automated operating and cleaning strategies, Subitec systems are suitable for long-term use in industrial value chains.

They thus form the basis for industrial microalgae production targeting both high-value products with stringent quality requirements and large-volume applications.

For the use of microalgae in fuel production, it is not a specific conversion pathway that is decisive, but the ability to provide biomass in a stable, reproducible manner and in suitable quality over long periods.

Subitec systems are designed to meet these requirements. Through controlled cultivation, microalgae biomass can be produced that can be further processed depending on the chosen process concept, whether lipid-based, carbohydrate-based or using the entire biomass.

The systems are not limited to a single SAF pathway, but provide a flexible biomass production platform. Their suitability for Sustainable Aviation Fuel therefore does not result from a specific “SAF function”, but from the ability to deliver industrially controlled biomass production.

Conventional laboratory photobioreactors are often optimized for experimental use and allow only limited control over physical and biological process conditions. They are well suited for studying individual effects, but typically do not reflect the conditions required for stable long-term operation.

Subitec laboratory systems, by contrast, are designed as closed reactor systems that enable low-contamination cultivation under precisely defined conditions. Key process parameters such as light management, gas supply, mixing and hydrodynamics can be actively controlled and reproducibly adjusted.

A defining feature is the airlift principle, which provides uniform mixing and controlled gas transfer while minimizing mechanical stress on the cells. In combination with the flat-panel geometry, this creates a defined light environment with short light paths and a high photosynthetically active surface area.

As a result, Subitec laboratory systems are not limited to biological investigation, but serve as platforms for the targeted development of stable and transferable cultivation processes.

The choice of reactor concept determines which biological and process-related conditions can be reliably controlled over time. Flat-panel airlift photobioreactors allow light management, mixing and gas transfer to be combined in a way that supports stable microalgae cultivation.

The flat-panel geometry provides short light paths and a high photosynthetically active surface area, while the airlift principle enables uniform circulation without mechanical components inside the culture volume. This allows both light-related and hydrodynamic stress factors to be controlled and reproducibly adjusted.

This combination enables a process regime in which biological productivity is not governed by a single limiting factor, but by the coordinated interaction of multiple controlled parameters.

Biological production systems cannot be directly scaled to large volumes without first establishing robust and well-understood processes. High-value products therefore serve a functional role within the overall development logic of microalgae production.

They enable cultivation and process parameters to be developed, stabilized and operated under economically viable conditions over extended periods. This accumulated process knowledge forms the basis for transferring the same technology to larger production volumes.

The connection between high-value products and large-volume applications therefore lies not in market positioning, but in the learning and stabilization effects of the underlying production processes.

Microalgae do not produce single target compounds, but complex biomasses composed of multiple valuable fractions. Whether this versatility can be economically utilized depends on how controllable and reproducible the production process is.

Subitec systems enable process conditions in which specific product fractions can be selectively addressed and combined. This allows multiple revenue streams to be derived from the same production base, rather than tying economic viability to a single product.

Multi-revenue approaches are therefore not a marketing concept, but a direct consequence of controlled and well-managed biological production.

Subitec laboratory-scale photobioreactor for microalgae R&D, enabling pre-cultures and process optimization before industrial scale-up.

Laboratory and pre-culture systems enable successful microalgae cultivation

In microalgae production, Subitec’s laboratory and pre-culture systems are crucial for different stages. The laboratory systems are vital for developing and pre-cultivating microalgae strains under optimal conditions, enabling controlled experiments for detailed algal research. They precisely manage light, temperature, and CO2 levels. The pre-culture systems, on the other hand, act as intermediaries between lab research and industrial scale production, simulating microalgae growth on a larger scale for smooth production phase transitions. All systems, including the CM180 modules, share the same high technology and standards, ensuring scalability and consistent quality across different production scales.

Explore precision and efficiency in microalgae production. Dive in now for more details!

Microalgae: Driving a sustainable bioeconomy

Scalable photobioreactor technology transforming CO₂ into value worldwide.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE as a hub for microalgae innovation – advancing biotech leadership and sustainable aviation fuel solutions.

Saudi Arabia

Microalgae production as part of Vision 2030 – strengthening sustainability, SAF, and bioeconomy development.

Norway

Microalgae production in Norway – scalable solutions for nutraceuticals, SAF, CCUS, and a resilient bioeconomy.

Microalgae in cosmetics: transforming skincare with eco-friendly, vegan ingredients

The potential of microalgae in the cosmetics industry is truly enormous, primarily due to their rich content of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients make microalgae an excellent choice for use in skin and hair care products, where they enhance hydration, improve skin elasticity, and offer notable anti-ageing and detoxification properties. Motivated by consumer demand for eco-conscious products, the cosmetics industry is embracing vegan applications with microalgae. Valued for their skin-beneficial bioactive compounds, microalgae align with sustainable, animal-free beauty trends.

Explore the power of microalgae in cosmetics. Discover our sustainable production systems!

Career

In a constantly growing future market, every single member of our team is important. That is why we attach great importance to enabling employees to develop further and offer room for individual development.

References & Partner

Products - references and partner - Microalgae Cultivation Systems

The numerous references and proven partners enable Subitec to draw on a wide range of projects and experience to provide standardized and efficient solutions for customers.

Algaepedia

Welcome to the comprehensive Algaepedia on microalgae, including cyanobacteria, the photosynthetic all-rounders of our planet. Our Algaepedia provides you with an in-depth knowledge base.

Perfect Match

The microalgae production systems from Subitec are suitable both for the industrial production of microalgae including cyanobacteria and for use in research laboratories. Perfectly adapted to your needs, the well-designed systems meet almost every requirement of different microalgae and cyanobacteria.

Icon of an industrial factory: Subitec photobioreactor systems for large-scale industrial applications.
Icon of an industrial factory: Subitec photobioreactor systems for large-scale industrial applications.
Laboratory icon with flasks: Subitec systems for lab and pre-scale microalgae cultivation.
Laboratory icon with flasks: Subitec systems for lab and pre-scale microalgae cultivation.

Optimal microalgae production: Precise control, continuous output – contamination-free

Achieving fast growth and top-quality microalgae requires precise control of light, CO2, pH value and temperature, and gentle handling. Flat-Panel-Airlift-Photobioreactors (FPA) from Subitec, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute, excel with patented FPA technology for even culture penetration and optimal CO2 absorption. The airlift technology replaces mechanical pumps and thus protects the microalgae from damage. In addition, the reactors have customizable double-sided LED-Growlights for tailored light spectra to suit the strain of microalgae and efficient temperature management. This system not only promotes efficient photosynthesis, but also ensures predictable yields and high production efficiency. Its closed structure ensures consistent product quality and prevents contamination.

Unveil the power of the FPA-Photobioreactors from Subitec – elevate your microalgae production now!

Process model Flat-Panel-Airlift-Photobioreactor - Subitec - Microalgae Production

Industries

Microalgae: Pioneers for a sustainable future

Faced with rapid global change and heightened consumer awareness, industrial manufacturers are looking for sustainable, effective and innovative solutions to meet increasing demands. At the forefront of these transformative developments is a group of exceptionally versatile organisms: microalgae, including cyanobacteria.

Industries

Microalgae: Pioneers for a sustainable future

Faced with rapid global change and heightened consumer awareness, industrial manufacturers are looking for sustainable, effective and innovative solutions to meet increasing demands. At the forefront of these transformative developments is a group of exceptionally versatile organisms: microalgae, including cyanobacteria.

Maximum support and service for microalgae production

Subitec is a global player in microalgae production with its advanced photobioreactor technology and exceptional support services. Our qualified technicians are experts in our LS6, LS28, LS4x28, LS180 and CM180 systems and provide fast and knowledgeable support.

High quality and promptly available spare parts are crucial for operation and productivity without downtime. To this end, we offer a wide range of high-quality components that are perfectly matched to our systems. With Subitec’s commitment to first-class service, you can rest assured that your production will meet the highest standards.

Advance your microalgae production with Subitec. Click for expert support and essential resources!

Subitec modular cultivation systems prepared for shipment in protective crates, enabling scalable project deployment.

Learn more about efficient microalgae cultivation
and about our products. Contact us now!

Cultivation infrastructure

The microalgae cultivation infrastructure from Subitec is a successful combination of precision work, innovative technology and careful attention to detail. Connected to the ring line, it enables an efficient and productive cultivation process.

Logistics and installation

In the dynamic world of microalgae production, the successful operation of cultivation systems depends not only on the quality of the equipment, but also on the efficiency and accuracy of the delivery and installation process.

Environment & Climate

The impact of microalgae on the environment and climate is immense. Microalgae offer a variety of sustainable solutions to pressing global challenges: from bioremediation to carbon sequestration to food.

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