Seaweed Fuels the Future
Turning Seaweed Into Fuel: A Caribbean Innovation
Summary:
Scientists in the Caribbean are converting invasive seaweed into eco-friendly vehicle fuel. Using sargassum, a problematic seaweed plaguing beaches, they produce bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG), offering a sustainable energy solution while tackling an environmental nuisance.
Seaweed Fuels the Future
What if the solution to an invasive species problem could also help reduce dependence on fossil fuels? In the Caribbean, researchers are making this vision a reality by transforming the abundant and invasive sargassum seaweed into bio-CNG, a clean, renewable fuel for vehicles.
This breakthrough starts with collecting sargassum from the region's beaches, where its overgrowth has become an ecological and economic headache. The seaweed is then combined with wastewater from rum distilleries and sheep dung to create the perfect recipe for anaerobic digestion—a process that turns organic material into biogas.
The result? A purified, compressed gas that can power standard vehicles with just a quick, affordable conversion. In fact, the researchers have already test-driven a modified Nissan Leaf running on this bio-CNG. The project is not only addressing an environmental crisis but also pioneering a sustainable energy source that could transform transportation in the region.
By turning a beachside problem into a renewable solution, the Caribbean is showing how innovation and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Top Scientists in Seaweed Restoration
Scientist Affiliation Contribution: Carlos Duarte
King Abdullah University (KAUST), Saudi ArabiaGlobal expert in marine ecology; leads work on “blue carbon” ecosystems including seaweed forests.
Professor Adriana VergésUNSW Sydney, AustraliaLeads restoration of kelp forests using "green gravel" and citizen science.
Dr. Jane LubchencoOregon State University; former NOAA headAdvocate for ocean-based climate solutions including seaweed farming and restoration.
Dr. Alejandra Mora CIBNOR, MexicoResearches kelp forest ecology and restoration in Baja California.
Dr. Paul LenfesteyPlymouth Marine Laboratory (UK)Studies the role of seaweed in nutrient cycling and carbon removal.