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Seaweed For Energy

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26 views2 pages

Seaweed For Energy

Uploaded by

ndossimichael29
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FACTSHEET

PROS AND CONS


SEAWEED FOR BIOFUEL

Seaweed (or macroalgae) is a large, diverse group of aquatic plants. Some common species, like
sugar kelp, could become a promising source of biofuels, if sustainably produced and used.
Compared with, for example soya, which is also used for the production of biofuels, growing
seaweed is faster, more space-efficient and does not require the use of fresh water or the addition
of fertilizer. Furthermore, seaweed does not compete for land area. On the contrary, seaweed can
be grown in exactly the area we have the most of: the sea.

Biofuels are considered necessary to decarbonise parts of the economy with no alternatives,
notably aviation where electrification is not yet available. Europe today meets 90% of its renewable
transport target with land-based biofuels, which in many cases are at least as bad as fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, climate science shows that fighting climate change will necessarily involve
bioenergy, though the sustainable scale remains one of climate science’s most unsure areas.

While seaweed for biofuels will see benefits as well as similar and different challenges to land-
based biofuels, we need to consider all alternatives to fossil fuels that reduce difficult emissions.

Norway as an example: Salmon farming


BIOFUEL EVOLUTION
today covers an approximate 1000km2 of its
total 819,620km2 Exclusive Economic Zone. The
area within Norway’s baseline (grunnlinjen), the
most suitable for seaweed cultivation, covers
90,000km2 - an area as large as all the
agricultural land in Norway, Sweden, Finland
and Denmark combined.

Of course not all sea area is available or even


Seaweed is an essential part of ocean ecosystems. suitable, but seaweed growing is very SCALABLE.
The use of both wild and cultivated seaweed Seaweed can be grown on straight or circular
should therefore be controlled. Fortunately there ropes, horizontally and/or vertically, (ideally)
is a lot of experience to build on from other down to 10m depth to retain optimal sunlight
ocean industries, such as fish farming, as well as conditions. There are also integrated solutions to
from land, in agriculture and existing biofuels. growing seaweed that make best possible use of
the available space. For example, seaweed could
One such lesson concerns AVAILABILITY. Though be grown in circular systems, like Integrated
seaweed is plentiful, it is an under-used source of Multi-Trophic Aquaculture that brings together
biomass. The sea covers almost three-quarters of other sea production, like fish farming and
the world and half of the world’s biomass grows offshore energy. This makes the involved
here. However, we only get 2% of our energy industries both more sustainable and cheaper as,
from food that comes directly from the sea. amongst other benefits, it’s easier to recycle
nutrients, seaweed grows better when it can use
waste nutrients from fish farming, and sharing
infrastructure minimises costs.

Seaweed is highly SUITABLE for biofuel. Between


85 and 90% of seaweed is water, which means
seaweed is very suitable for biofuel-making
methods like anaerobic digestion to make biogas
and fermentation to make ethanol. In addition,
many seaweed species, like sugar kelp, have high
carbohydrate and low lignin content that is
perfect for making bioethanol.

Seaweed is one of the most EFFICIENT species,


especially in absorbing nutrients like phosphorous
and nitrogen. Because seaweed grows very fast, it
Several potential impacts need further study, such
can absorb a lot of CO2, in fact up to 66 tonnes
as the effects of more human activity, risks of
CO2 per hectare, which can help tackle ocean
cross-breeding wild and cultivated species,
acidification. Fast growth also means CO2
diseases and the creation of a non-natural
emissions from for instance seaweed biofuel are
temporary habitat (as a seaweed farm would be).
quickly reabsorbed by new growth. In addition,
seaweed doesn’t need fresh water or fertilising.
Because there are few real-world seaweed biofuel
projects, measuring LIFE-CYCLE EMISSIONS is
Seaweed is also highly PRODUCTIVE, growing
difficult. Most emissions don’t come from the
about 26 tonnes dry weight per hectare,
seaweed itselft, but from making nets or doing
compared to 2.3 tonnes soya and 5.1 tonnes corn.
maintenance and harvesting, which could be
improved for example by using electric ships.
A thought experiment: Assuming all nitrogen
from farming salmon in Norway could be used
Cascading use is a central principle of bioenergy,
for growing seaweed, Norway could deliver
where every part of the plant is prioritised for use
seaweed biomass for the production of 950
in a way that best preserves its core value. Apart
million litres ethanol per year (SINTEF, 2009 & from biofuel, seaweed can be used for food,
Akvaplan Niva, 2016). This is about a quarter of animal feed, medicine, paper and fertiliser. It can
the total fuel consumption of Norwegian road also replace fossil products besides fuel, including
traffic. Delivering this would require less than plastics, cosmetics and textiles. Therefore
1% of the area within Norway’s baseline. RESOURCE VALUE CHAINS need to be created
to safeguard the many uses of seaweed.
Challenges with using seaweed for biofuel include
reducing LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. Finally, the BUSINESS CASE for seaweed biofuels
Growing seaweed could reduce the amount of in not yet developed enough to encourage actors.
nutrients in an area, which could affect other sea This, along with better bioenergy sustainability
life higher up the food chain. criteria, should be a priority for policy makers.

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