To make microalgae a decarbonization solution, it is imperative to know how to produce significant volumes of microalgae: production must be on the scale of industry needs in terms of renewable raw materials and in terms of CO₂ capture.

Extensive cultivation systems already have high surface yields, much higher than the surface yield of terrestrial plants: we can go up to 80 to 100 tonnes of biomass produced per hectare per year (80 to 100 t biomass/ha/year [Rodolfi L, Chini Zittelli G, Bassi N, Padovani G, Biondi N, Bonini G, Tredici MR. Microalgae for oil: strain selection, induction of lipid synthesis and outdoor mass cultivation in a low-cost photobioreactor. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2009 Jan 1;102(1):100-12.]), which allows us to consider microalgae cultures for the production of niche specialties.

These surface yields are nevertheless insufficient when we consider the production of large volumes, and the capture of carbon on the scale of industry needs.

To invent its disruptive technology for intensive microalgae cultivation, CarbonWorks frees itself from existing technologies and revisits all the technological building blocks that contribute to photosynthesis: light, CO₂, and the microalgae's access to these 2 resources .

To do this, CarbonWorks has established partnerships with renowned academics, such as the CEA, CNRS and CRITT. It has also developed an ecosystem of private partners, each of which contributes to the development of technology in their area of expertise. The developments carried out by CarbonWorks have been labeled Deeptech by Bpifrance.

In the R&D project that led to the creation of CarbonWorks and after its creation, CarbonWorks developed a portfolio of 11 patents, which protect its technology.