SeaStock
20/02/2024
As the seaweed industry gains increasing prominence for its environmental credentials and economic potential, it’s perhaps ironic that land-based cultivation is proving more efficient than the traditional offshore methods.
Over recent times, investors, governments and organisations globally have recognised the significant potential and need to invest in and build the seaweed (Asparagopsis) cultivation industry, to help address climate change and build a more sustainable agricultural sector.
Understandably, cultivation techniques within the fledging industry have historically been rooted in ocean farming. However, recent developments have challenged these long-standing practices, indicating a shift towards more efficient and sustainable land-based methods.
Fremantle-based SeaStock, believes its onshore cultivation method for Asparagopsis may be an impressive four times more efficient than offshore techniques, and with the potential to scale operations more readily to commercial levels, without the variables of an ocean environment.
This greater efficiency arises from the precise control over environmental conditions, guaranteeing optimal growth rates, reduced risk of disease and contamination and, ultimately, consistent production of higher-quality seaweed.
Onshore cultivation techniques are less labour-intensive, with lower capital expenditure, and can also produce multiple side-stream products from the same seaweed feedstock. This includes the extraction of high-yielding natural pigments and the utilisation of residue biomass for industrial applications, maximising the value derived from each cultivation cycle.
SeaStock Managing Director and Co-Founder, Tom Puddy, explained that one of the most compelling aspects of his Company’s land-based cultivation method is its ability to be replicated globally.
“That’s the point that gets investors, the scientists and other interested stakeholders most excited.
“We use natural ocean water, renewable energy and other industry waste materials, such as CO2, to enhance biomass growth, which opens up the possibility to generate meaningful levels of carbon credits.
“Land-based seaweed cultivation aligns with the principles of a true circular economy, turning waste into sought-after resources and significantly reducing environmental impact. This approach not only addresses the growing demand for seaweed but does so in a manner that is ecologically responsible and economically sustainable.”
The SeaStock team believes that its production and extraction intellectual property (IP) could be applied to future algae species that also have highly valued natural compounds, such as bioactive compounds, healthy pigments and basic protein for large scale human nourishment.
