Photovoltaic-driven microbial protein production can use land and sunlight more efficiently than conventional crops

The cultivation of microbial biomass, which is rich in proteins as well as other nutrients, can play a vital role in achieving food security while mitigating the negative environmental footprint of agriculture. Here, we analyze the efficiency associated with using solar energy for converting atmospheric CO₂ derived from direct air capture into microbial biomass that can feed humans and animals. We show that the production of microbial foods outperforms agricultural cultivation of staple crops in terms of caloric and protein yields per land area at all relevant solar irradiance levels. These results suggest that microbial foods could substantially contribute to feeding a growing population and can assist in allocating future limited land resources.