Seaweed Forests Could Help Power Tropical Islands

Harvesting seaweed ‘forests’ and feeding them into large underwater digesters could one day meet the world’s energy needs, with nine per cent of the ocean floor being enough to replace fossil fuels entirely, according to an ambitious idea. Even a more immediate and realistic use of seaweed — a major untapped resource — would greatly increase the self-sufficiency and sustainability of small island states, but limited investment is preventing the roll-out of relevant technologies, marine biofuel experts have said. Using wild or farmed seaweed to fuel anaerobic digesters could provide local communities with abundant energy through biogas as well as producing fertiliser, according to Antoine N’Yeurt, a researcher at the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.

http://www.scidev.net/global/energy/news/seaweed-forests-could-help-power-tropical-islands.html

Mike Taylor

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