Project proposal:
ALGAE - Chlorella program
(Czech investment in Greece)

General description

Goal of the project is to introduce in Greece modern and perspective biotechnological production of algae. It will be carry out on the basis patented and verified Czech technology, which is characterized by high efficiency of utilization of solar energy and low operational costs.

Design
Plant for cultivation and processing of algae is designed as a complex production unit, which is composed by 15 modules. Module area is 1000 m2, total production area of one unit is 1,5 ha. Basic part of each unit is sole surface made of a steel construction and glass sheets. Algal suspension flows along slope surface in a uniform layer. Suspension is delivered to the highest point by circulation pump from a collecting tank which is located at the lowest point. The suspension is aerated by CO2 in the collecting tank. Processing of algal suspension takes place in a processing line in plant building. The end product, dried algae in form of powder, is wrapped in PE packing in quantity demanded by a customer. It is supposed that the end product in a form of tablets and capsules will be provided.

Location and production
Plant will be constructed in a industrial area near Kalamata in Greece. Size of comprehesive cultivation area is 1,5 ha, but there is a possibility for its potential increasing. Proper climatical conditions allow there 300 to 310 day of cultivation season per year. In these condition c. 100 metric tons of dried algal biomass will be produced per a cultivation season.

Future contributions
This project will be contribute to the region by engagement of local firms in the period of the plant construction and later by creation of approximately 20-30 new jobs. By its capacity the plant will become the biggest production plant in Europe. Besides introduction of a new production into region it is assumed to build up a leading business center with algae there. In collaboration with Greek government and universities and biotechnological companies it is envisaged to create there a main European scientific and research center for solving of questions of a further development of algal biotechnologies and their application in human and veterinary medicine, food industry and cosmetics. Scientific center should link up narrower collaboration with other scientific institution in the world and become known over the all world in the period of several year.

Possibilities on world market
Possibilities of competition of products on present world market is verified on a basis of qualified comparison of appropriate inlet conditions and economical balance of production costs with prices of now existing assortment of products. The biggest producers of Chlorella are Japan (1000 tons per year), Taiwan (830 tons per year) and Indonesia (650 tons per year). Step by step penetration of world market and successful selling are guaranteed by comparable high production quality and low production costs. European market is not saturated and algae biomass is imported from Japan.

Project provision

Mr. Jan Petřík, MSc. - enterpreneur, finance and investment specialist. He finished Faculty of Economy, Agricultural University in Prague in 1969. In 1977 he finished postgradual study of Organization and management of companies. He began independent enterprise career in 1990. He is owner or co-owner of several companies, which focus on trade and business. Major part of these companies was founded by him or bought by him afterwards. He prepared a specific operational company in Greece, which is in the process of registration. He also has bought necessary real property in Kalamata in Greece, where now a prototype unit is in operation with quite relevant and favorable results.

He has detailed knowledge about this project thanks to the fact he worked at Institute of Microbiology of Czech Academy of Science in Chlorella research project for three years. He has also eleven years experience as a manager of science and technical development of agricultural section.
Chlorella Hellas Ltd. (Kalamata Navarinou 113, Jan Jan Petřík) has been established and registered in Greece and Chlorella Hellas joint stock company has been organized and prepared for activation. These companies registered in Greece will be responsible for constructing and operation of the complex. For algae cultivation.

Cooperating Partners:

Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Science
Sector of Autotrophic Microorganisms is engaged in basic and technological research of microscopic algae since 1960. In 1991 a third generation of units for thin-layer outdoor cultivation of algae had been built in Třeboň, Czech Republic. Units of this generation will be used in production of algae in projected plant. This institution sold to Mr. Jan Petřík the necessary licence rights for implementation of the project (responsible person Ing. Jiří Doucha PhD)

BCS Engineering, a.s.
BCS Engineering, a.s., is a private joint stock company. It provides its customers with complete services necessary in the course of construction of a new investment plant and/or modernisation or intesification of existing units in areas of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, food-processing industry, chemistry, power production industry and environmental protection projects. Specialists from BSC Engineering, a.s. have large experiences in mentioned above services due to construction of industrial plants in Czech Republic and abroad (Syria, Iraq, India, Romania, former Soviet Union)

INTERPLAN-CZ, Ltd.
Interplan-CZ, Ltd. Is a privat civil engineering company which provides comprehensive designing services for capital investment building. The company provided designing and engineering services for constructing license issuing.

Implementation company
Dimitris A. Pastras, Civil engineer, Kalamata Street 7

ENVI Ltd. Třeboň
Envi Ltd. Třeboň is a company founded mostly by specialists and research in biological research and environmental issues. The company has a wide advisory board of experts dealing with landscape ecology, wetland restoration, solar technology, waste water treatment, environmental impact assessment and biotechnology. The company ENVI Ltd. will
provide both scientific and technological supervision of construction work, technology testing, start up and operation of algae cultivation in Greece, including technological development. (responsible person: RNDr. Jan Pokorný, PhD)

Interpreting and local technical logistic support
Martina Stathopulos, Messini Syn/choy Boyloykoy 5

Number of workers during implementation
Maximum supposed number of site workers is 68 - 34 are involved in a civil engineering works and 34 in mechanical part of implementation.

Local companies exploitation
It is supposed to use local civil engineering sources during implementation phase of the project. Building material and usual building products for civil engineering part will be provided from local sources. It is supposed to exploit local engineering and assembly companies for implementation of the civil engineering and production units of the plant. It is planned to exploit local sources by a way of partial contractual deliveries coordinated and supervised by Czech specialist.

Production technology

Brief history.
In the fifties and sixties - a time when the number of people suffering from malnutrition especially in developing countries was sharply rising - an intensive search was launched for new sources of proteins. The attention centered around algae, predominantly green aquatic plants. Some of them, in particular unicellular microscopic forms, exhibit high growth rates and a high content of valuable substances. High yields of organic matter demonstrate that, during the growing season, photosynthesizing algae can use solar energy 5 to 10 times more efficiently than cultivated crops. This constitutes an extremely important feature - especially today, when cheap energy sources are being intensively sought.
By the end of the fifties, research laboratories were established in the USA, Japan and West Germany - all aimed at examining if, and to what extent, algal cultures could be proliferated by directed cultivation. In 1960, a similar laboratory was founded in Czechoslovakia. Today, it is the Laboratory of Microalgal Biotechnology of the Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, in Třeboň, a small town in south Bohemia. The Laboratory belongs among the world's leading laboratories in the field of microalgal biotechnology.