In a groundbreaking development, California-based startup Savor, backed by Bill Gates, has found a way to create butter and other fat-based products using carbon dioxide from the air. This innovative approach could revolutionize the food industry by providing a sustainable alternative to animal-derived products and palm oil.

Delicious and versatile fats made from an overabundant resource: carbon

The Climate Impact of Livestock and Palm Oil

The livestock industry is a significant contributor to global greenhouse emissions, accounting for 14.5% of the total. As the world’s population grows, the demand for animal-based products is expected to increase, further exacerbating the climate crisis. While plant-based alternatives have emerged in recent years, they often fail to replicate the taste and texture of animal-derived products. Moreover, many of these alternatives rely on palm oil, which is linked to widespread deforestation in various regions.

Savor’s Chemistry-Based Solution

Savor’s technology tackles these challenges by going back to the basics of chemistry:

  • The company uses carbon dioxide as a starting point to build fat molecules
  • It combines CO2 with hydrogen and oxygen using heat
  • This process creates chain-like arrangements of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, mimicking the structure of animal-derived fats and oils

According to a 2023 study, Savor’s chemical synthesis of dietary fats can achieve emissions of less than 0.8 g CO2 equivalent per kilogram, significantly lower than palm oil produced in Brazil or Indonesia, which emits more than 1.5 g CO2 equivalent per kg.

Scalability and Potential Applications

Savor’s technology is highly scalable and could be rapidly deployed to replace animal-derived fats in various products, including butter, milk, cheese, ice cream, and edible oils. The main challenge lies in convincing consumers to adopt products made using this revolutionary technology.

Bill Gates, a prominent investor in Savor, acknowledges that the idea of switching to lab-made fats and oils may initially seem strange. However, he emphasizes the immense potential of this technology to reduce our carbon footprint. “By harnessing proven technologies and processes, we get one step closer to achieving our climate goals,” Gates wrote in a blog post earlier this year.

The Path to Disruption: Affordability

To truly disrupt the food industry, companies like Savor must offer their products at competitive prices. Despite its environmental impact, livestock farming remains inexpensive and can feed many people at affordable costs. By focusing on chemistry and requiring less land and resources, Savor has the potential to produce sustainable fats and oils at prices that are impossible to beat.

As Savor continues to develop and scale its technology, it could play a crucial role in shaping a more sustainable future for the food industry, helping to meet the growing demand for food while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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