Hawaiian businesses to receive funding to develop seaweed as an energy source
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) recently announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) would provide $1.5 million to two Hawaii businesses to develop offshore seaweed as a potential clean energy resource.
DOE awarded the funding through its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program.
“These grants recognize the innovative work being done in Hawaii to research and develop renewable energy resources,” Hirono, member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said. “This funding will assess the viability of developing seaweed as an energy source, and explore how to use local resources to meet Hawaii’s renewable energy goals.”
Makai Ocean Engineering in Honolulu will receive $995,978 to build a model that simulates the ocean for use in studying the design and estimated costs of offshore seaweed farming systems.
The grant also provided Kampachi Farms in Kailua-Kona with $500,000 to develop an offshore seaweed production farm and test harvesting techniques for use in renewable energy production.
“Marine agronomy – the culture of limu (seaweed) in oceanic conditions – offers potential for increased production of food, feeds and fuel,” Neil Sims, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Kampachi Farms, said. “Using the power of the ocean’s primary production, we can increase availability of healthful food for people, feeds for fish and other animals, and biofuels for a carbon neutral planet, with minimal use of land, freshwater or artificial fertilizers. Offshore culture of limu connects innovative aquaculture with Hawaiian culinary traditions. It also offers – in our estimation – the only possible means of harnessing entrepreneurial resources to create incentives for countering ocean acidification.”
