# Verne joins VAXA Technologies’ ACTION Impact Nutrition Carbon Emission and Sustainability Program

Reykjavik, Iceland, / May 08, 2024- Verne, a leading sustainable data center operator and developer joins VAXA’s Impact Nutrition Program with a mutual commitment to sustainability and an appetite for ACTION. VAXA and our partners can leverage our collective resources to drive meaningful change and pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient world.

[www.vaxaimpact.com](https://www.vaxaimpact.com)

VAXA Technologies, a global climate and food tech company, is committed to sustainable partnerships that benefit the planet and people through the VAXA ACTION Impact Nutrition Program. The Program delivers nutrition by fortifying the traditional foods of malnourished people holistically and in partnership with stakeholders eager to collaborate to achieve the collective goal of greater environmental and social impact through impactful ACTION. &#x20;

We are delighted to welcome Verne to VAXA’s pioneering group of innovative partners. Verne delivers sustainable data center solutions that enable organizations to cost-effectively scale their digital infrastructure while reducing their environmental impact. Its Icelandic campus is 100% powered by renewable geothermal and hydroelectric energy.

**VAXA ACTION Impact Nutrition emission reduction program**

The VAXA ACTION Impact Nutrition Program provides a wonderful opportunity for stakeholders to advocate for people and the planet through the VAXA Carbon Project, which supports several of the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs) with a focus on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

VAXA developed a new scientific approach for sustainable production of microalgae with meaningful CO2 offset impact through its microalgae called Icelandic Ultra Spirulina (IUS). IUS is equivalent to beef in terms of essential amino acids, iron, and natural active bioavailable vitamin B12, meaning IUS can effectively be used as an ingredient to fortify foods for people across the globe without the GHG emissions attributed to conventional food production.

**Sustainable microalgae**

VAXA’s location in Iceland, adjacent to one of the world’s largest geothermal plants, allows for a carbon-negative production process that utilizes non-arable land and a fraction of the water and energy resources of conventional farming.

**Verne**

Verne’s CEO Dominic Ward says, “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with VAXA, an innovative company that closely complements our mission and values. VAXA has created a technology-based project that not only enables us to offset our carbon emissions, it provides full traceability with a digital audit trail, which is very important to us. The project is based on the principles of the circular economy in Iceland, with a focus on environmentally friendly, sustainable practices that, like our own facilities, utilize the country’s natural geothermal power.

“This partnership will ensure Verne reaches its own ambitious sustainability goals.”&#x20;

**VAXA’s Partners**

“We are happy to welcome Verne to our ACTION program. Our partners are all committed to a robust and transparent net zero strategy in which steps have been taken to reduce emissions and only then compensate residual emissions. Successful sustainability partnerships such as this one, can bring greater attention to important environmental issues, and advocate for others to become involved in meaningful ACTION with durable co-benefits that support improved nutrition,” said Crystal Riedemann, VAXA’s VP of Business Development Carbon Impact.

Join the VAXA ACTION movement and reach out to us at [info@vaxaimpact.com](mailto\:info@vaxaimpact.com)

About VAXA

VAXA (www.vaxaimpact.com), a global food & climate tech company has developed a new scientific approach for the sustainable production of microalgae produced at the VAXA Technology facility in Iceland where the carbon-negative production process is supported by the resources provided by the adjacent geothermal plant.

VAXA_ACTION_Stakeholders_4.jpg

Baseline additionality. Compared to the baseline scenario the project needs to mitigate climate change. That is the project must implement actions that are additional to what would occur compared to the baseline.

Level 1 additionality

Statutory additionality. The project must implement actions that are beyond requirements stipulated in local legislation or regulations. Projects are statutory additional if their implementation and/or operation is not required by any law, statute, or other regulatory framework, agreements, settlements, or other legally binding mandates requiring implementation and operation or requiring implementation of similar measures that would result in the same mitigations in the host country.

Level 2a additionality

Technology, institutional, common practice additionality. The project must implement actions that are subject to barriers of implementation or accelerate deployment of technology or activities and carbon market incentives are essential in overcoming these barriers.

Level 3 additionality

Europe

Production of algal beef equivalent

Greenhouse gases — Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project level for quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions or removal enhancements

Icelandic Ultra Spirulina (IUS) provides highly nutritious (including Essential Amino Acids, bioavailable Iron and active vitamin B12) ingredient
Based on nutritional value, it is the most sustainable food production activity in the world.
Easily integrated within traditional and/or novel foods
Long shelf life at room temp 
Affordable for developing economies 

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

SDG 2: No Poverty

Icelandic Ultra Spirulina (IUS) is a highly nutritious food ingredient, providing Essential Amino Acids, bioavailable Iron and active vitamin B12 - key nutritional factors for health and well being in all ages.
IUS nutritional composition enables FDA/EFSA allowed nutritional and functional claims, at an inclusion rate of <g per serving

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Working conditions/requirements at the IUS production facility enable gender equal employment opportunity. The majority of the required education is provided on site, and enables room for professional and personal growth, on a gender-equal basis

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Icelandic Ultra Spirulina (IUS) production requires less than 1% of the fresh water used for nutritionally-paired beef production. Therefore, it does not compete on the finite resource of potable water.
IUS production is closed system and waste-free, with no potential contamination of water sources (e.g. fertilizer runoffs). 

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

IUS production is converting clean energy (e.g geothermal) and its waste streams (hot/cold water, waste heat, CO2 emissions) to viable food ingredient, and thus creating additional revenue streams for clean power production, making it more affordable for all.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

IUS production is a new way of controlled producing food – converting clean energy to sustainable food. It requires a pool of talents with diverse education backgrounds – Operators, technicians, biologists, scientists, mechanics, electricians, QA/QC, food scientists etc. 
It provides decent work environment for all employees and produces a novel crop – IUS, a nutritional, plant-based, substitute to beef, creating a new option for economical growth.

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

IUS production is an innovative technology for food production. It advances agriculture into an industrial, controlled setting. The result – consistent and superior crop quality, year-round.

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Some of the inequalities within and between countries are resulting from nutritional gaps and nutritional deficiencies. If your body is undernourished, so is your mind. Tiredness and concentration difficulties are only some of the effects of inadequate nutrition.
IUS closes this gap by providing key essential ingredients (e.g essential amino acids, bioavailable iron and active B12), supporting healthy psychological and physiological functions. 

Reduce inequality within and among countries

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

One of the key challenges of human settlements is waste management. A significant portion of human waste is nutrition-related (packaging, food waste, expired foods etc.). Icelandic Ultra Spirulina is a zero-waste ingredient (100% nutritional value) with a long shelf life (kept at room temp). 
Another challenge in human settlement is GHG emissions. A portion of these emissions is related to food preparation (e.g. cooking, broiling) and food preservation (refrigeration). Icelandic Ultra Spirulina could be consumed raw, and does not require refrigeration.    

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

VAXA’s technology platform is the most sustainable way to produce food: Carbon negative, uses less than 1% of the land and water (based on nutritional equivalence) and is pesticide & herbicide free.
It promoted sustainable food consumption as it is zero-waste (100% nutritional value), has a long shelf life at room temp and could be consumed raw.

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

IUS enables nutritional replacement of beef, which is one of the most unsustainable food sources. Since replacing I ton of beef by 1 ton of IUS creates an avoidance of ~100 tons of CO2eq – this is one of the most effective ways to have a noticeable impact on GHG emissions and climate change.

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

SDG 13: Climate Action

Fishing and aquaculture industries have disrupted the sustainability of our oceans, seas and marine resources, due to overfishing and waste management practices. Nevertheless these industries are key providers of essential nutritional ingredients: Essential amino and fatty acids, vitamins & minerals.
IUS presents an alternative nutritional source for these key nutrients, without creating any impact on the marine ecosystem.

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

SDG 14: Life Below Water

Since IUS production is >100X more productive, does not require fertile land and uses less than 1% of fresh water (based on nutritional equivalence), it promotes the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, that could otherwise be disrupted by human agricultural activities. 

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

SDG 15: Life on Land

Requiring no fertile land and less than 1% of fresh water  to produce, IUS production disarms potential conflicts associated with control over food production resources (fresh water and fertile land). It promotes nutritional justice for all, while respecting traditional foods and cultures. It promotes effective collaboration between legislative institutions, research institutes, industrial and commercial parties and the public (food consumers).   

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The sustainable IUS production & consumption, and the resulting GHG offsets, could only be realized by an international collaboration of global stakeholders: Regulatory/standardizing frameworks, verification and verification bodies, the food production industry and the nutritional choices of the end users – are all essential in this partnership.  

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Agriculture

The purpose of the project activity is to produce an edible algal biomass Icelandic Ultra Spirulina (blue-green algae), which serves as a carbon-neutral alternative to Beef in terms of nutritional parity. 

Verne joins VAXA Technologies’ ACTION Impact Nutrition Carbon Emission and Sustainability Program

VAXA ACTION Impact Nutrition through the Production of algal beef equivalent

Iceland

Agriculture

ISO 14064-2

VAXA Technologies Ltd

Iceland