Solar Foods

Most food production today remains fundamentally tied to agriculture, requiring arable land, water, favourable climate conditions, and complex supply chains. As global demand for protein continues to increase, researchers and companies are exploring alternative production methods that reduce dependence on these constraints. The Finnish food technology company Solar Foods develops microbial protein production systems designed to decouple food manufacturing from conventional agriculture. Its flagship product, Solein®, is produced using a naturally occurring single-cell microorganism cultivated through a gas fermentation process that uses carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and mineral nutrients. Originating from research conducted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LUT University, the technology aims to create a new category of protein production based on renewable electricity and industrial bioprocessing rather than traditional farming.

Technology and Product

Instead of feeding microorganisms with agricultural sugars or plant-derived feedstocks, Solar Foods cultivates its Solein® microorganism using gases generated from air, water, and electricity. Water is first separated into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, after which the microorganism grows by using hydrogen as an energy source together with carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nutrients inside a bioreactor. The resulting biomass is processed into Solein®, a protein-rich ingredient containing protein, dietary fibre, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Solar Foods states that Solein originates from a natural, non-modified single-cell organism and is designed as a functional ingredient for food applications.

Solein® protein produced through Solar Foods’ gas fermentation process using carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and microbial cultivation. (© Solar Foods)

Industrial Fit and Applications

Solein is designed as an ingredient platform for food manufacturers. According to Solar Foods, the protein can be incorporated into dairy alternatives, meat alternatives, beverages, snacks, spreads, noodles, pasta, bakery products, and other food categories. The company is developing production facilities intended to scale industrial manufacturing of Solein while expanding regulatory approvals across international markets. Wider adoption of gas fermentation-based protein systems could support efforts to diversify food production pathways and reduce dependence on conventional agricultural inputs in selected food industry applications.

The ingredient can be incorporated into beverages, dairy alternatives, snacks, bakery products, and other food applications. (© Solar Foods)

Founding Team

Solar Foods was founded by Dr. Pasi Vainikka and Dr. Juha-Pekka Pitkänen based on research originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LUT University. Vainikka previously worked in renewable energy and energy systems research at VTT, while Pitkänen specialised in bioprocess technology and biotechnology development. Their combined expertise in energy systems, industrial biotechnology, and process engineering forms the foundation of Solar Foods’ gas fermentation platform and Solein® production technology.