Low Carbon Bio + Synthetic Fuels

Seaweed cultivation and processing for agrifeed additives and biostimulants

THE PROBLEM

To build a regenerative farming economy and feed 9.5 billion people by 2050, we urgently need effective, climate-resilient solutions for farmers that reduce costs and emissions and increase yields at a large scale. If these solutions are not scaled urgently, the demand, and economic activity, will be met by other regions, primarily Asia.

The global demand for agricultural products derived from seaweed grows more than 8% pa, with the cattle feed market in North America valued at US$2.8B. This demand is currently being met with seaweed harvested from the wild but these vital organisms are under threat due to warming oceans. Significant research is being conducted on the viability of a warm water seaweed for cattle feed to reduce methane emissions, however, this species is invasive in Canada and is being cultivated in tanks on land and therefore does not provide ecosystem services as it grows.

THE SOLUTION

Cultivated seaweed is a regenerative crop that provides low-carbon solutions for agriculture at the megatonne scale, and Cascadia Seaweed, based on Vancouver Island, has a proven ability to cultivate local species of seaweed (kelp) at scale on low-impact ocean farms in partnership with coastal First Nations.

Cascadia is expanding its operations and building a bioprocessing facility in Northern BC and is producing products for crop and cattle farmers. Using a chemical-free biorefinery, kelp is manufactured into liquid biostimulants with qualities that enhance root development, improve nutrient update and increase stress resistance which reduces synthetic fertilizers and freshwater inputs. The solid matter is manufactured into feed supplements that improve feed conversion and animal health while reducing methane emissions.

This project will accelerate Cascadia’s ability to produce feed supplements and biostimulants while generating economic activity in BC and could mitigate at least 10% of Canada’s agricultural emissions.

Specific deliverables of this project include developing a prototype of a scalable, high-energy seaweed farm, testing the nutritional value of kelp as an agrifeed, processing seaweed at scale, and quantifying methane reduction.

PROJECT STATUS
Active
PROJECT CATEGORY
Low Carbon Bio + Synthetic Fuels
FUNDING RECIPIENT
Cascadia Seaweed Corp
CICE FUNDING AMOUNT
$1,500,000
PROJECT VALUE
$8,932,673
  • “We are thrilled to receive support from CICE, which will accelerate our plans to scale up the cultivation and bioprocessing of seaweeds into agricultural products. This builds on the support we've received from SDTC and AAFC and enables us to deliver nature-based and climate-positive solutions in a timely manner.”
    ROB NAPOLI, CFO AT CASCADIA SEAWEED CORP READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT
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