Many see huge potential, with the UK government already including up to 4,700 sq km of seaweed farming cultivation in its future energy scenarios and another study ... Seaweeds are macroalgae but their tiny, unicellular cousins – micro algae – are also seen as promising potential source of biofuel. read more
Burning biomass for heating value is pointless in most situations, especially a biomass source that is already wet and contains such a high proportion of salt residues that will become sintered ash. All of the water is a thermal sink, and so is the salt. Even dried kelp contains a high proportion of water. read more
Giant kelp is one of the fastest growing sources of biomass, and the open ocean surface water is an immense, untapped region for growing kelp. However, kelp does not grow in the open ocean because it needs to attach to a hard surface, typically less than 40 meters deep. read more
The brown seaweed Laminaria hyperborean, more commonly referred to as kelp, could be farmed off the coast of Scotland as biomass for the production of methane and ethanol, according to the Scottish Association for Marine Science in a report that was published for The Crown Estate, the property-holding organization for the British monarchy. read more