Securing Military Lubricant Supply with Food Waste Biomanufacturing
Capra Biosciences, Inc. and Virginia Tech have partnered to develop a groundbreaking biomanufacturing process for creating lubricants from food waste. This collaboration aims to bolster the domestic supply chain for critical lubricants used by the Department of Defense, reducing reliance on vulnerable global sources.
Currently, the American military depends on a steady supply of lubricants for virtually all its equipment. However, global supply chain disruptions pose a growing threat to this essential need. CapraS innovative solution utilizes a unique, solvent-tolerant organism and advanced extraction technologies within a continuous flow bioreactor. This system allows for localized, distributed manufacturing using readily available, waste-based materials, significantly lowering production costs compared to customary chemical methods.
The project focuses on strengthening U.S. defense readiness by enabling on-demand lubricant production, bypassing international shipping delays and increasing national autonomy. A key component of this effort is developing effective methods to convert waste streams into usable biomanufacturing feedstocks.
To achieve this, Capra and Virginia Tech will focus on “arrested anaerobic digestion” (AAD) – a process to transform food waste into materials suitable for lubricant production. They will jointly design and build a new AAD system, with Capra then optimizing its bioreactor technology to produce lubricants economically from these feedstocks.
Ultimately, the project seeks to demonstrate a fully automated bioreactor system that continuously produces lubricants from food waste, paving the way for a scalable, enduring, and secure lubricant supply for the military and potentially beyond.
