Why Gaia Protein?
Insect Protein
A source of protein with health benefits and environmental advantages.
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Nutrition
Global demand for protein is rising, including for alternatives to conventional sources. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2013), over 2 billion people in the world consume insects. Cricket protein contains all essential amino acids, and is high in Vitamin B12 and other important nutrients. Insect protein is suitable for numerous applications in human food, and other markets.
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Environment
Crickets have a very short life cycle, growing quickly and reproducing efficiently. The entire cricket can be utilized, resulting in no waste. They produce very little GHG emissions, and no methane at all. They require minimal inputs of space, water, and feed. They are very efficient at protein conversion, and yield a product with high protein content.
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Food Security
The four pillars of food security (World Health Organization) are availability, access, utilization, and stability. Insect protein can play an important role in future global food security, as it can be produced quickly and efficiently with minimal inputs. The environmental advantages of insect production help combat climate change, one of the biggest threats to global food security. Diversification in the food supply increases resiliency to disruptions.
Commercial Agriculture
Applying established and proven technology, to create new opportunities.
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Science and Technology
Gaia Protein is applying modern agricultural science and technology to cricket production, in the emerging Canadian insect agriculture industry.
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Efficiency
The Western Canadian agriculture industry is highly efficient due to advanced science and technology, economies of scale, a high degree of specialization, and intense competition. Gaia Protein is applying principles from conventional agriculture to cricket production.
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Opportunity
This application creates an opportunity to improve outcomes in a production system which has not yet been optimized, such as reducing the cost of production and scaling to achieve commercial viability.
Alternative Energy
Accessing and utilizing rejected energy to improve upon the environmental advantages of insects.
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Rejected Energy
Engines reject 60% of the energy contained in their fuel as heat. This is a thermodynamic reality of the combustion process. The energy is low grade, making it ideal for heating. Alberta has very concentrated sites where this energy can be accessed, at natural gas compression facilities.
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Proven Process
Gaia Protein's leadership has accessed rejected energy in a previous biotech project (SFN Biosystems). This energy access process and technology was successful, and creates no interruptions to the facility's normal operations. SFN Biosystems recieved a National Innovation Award from the Federal Minister of Science and Technology.
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Partners
Gaia Protein's production facilities will be co-located with our Alberta energy partners. Gaia Protein will utilize the heat which is dissipated from the natural gas compressors.
Value Proposition
Solving a major challenge facing commercial insect production.
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Energy is Critical
Insects are metabolically efficient because they do not regulate their body temperature. As a result, efficient commercial production must occur at high and consistent temperatures.
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Challenges
Heating and cooling using conventional energy sources reduces the environmental advantages of insect production. These input costs reduce the price competitiveness of insect protein. Insect protein is currently too expensive for acceptance into conventional markets.
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Gaia Protein's solution
Utilizing alternative energy in the production facility creates environmental and economic opportunity to produce high quality, environmentally advantageous, and competitive protein.