This document summarizes research being conducted on seaweed cultivation for bioenergy. It discusses a pilot project in Strangford Lough that is testing different cultivation systems for Laminaria digitata seaweed. The research aims to develop sustainable cultivation and harvesting protocols. It involves monitoring the environment, growth of seaweed, and exploring integrated multi-trophic aquaculture to diversify products and reduce risks. The goal is to better understand how to cultivate seaweed as a sustainable source of biomass for bioenergy.

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Queen’s Seaweed in Strangford Lough
Dr. Karen M. Mooney,
Queen’s University Belfast

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Why biomass for bioenergy?

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Why seaweed?

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Why seaweed?

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Why seaweed?

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Pilot 1: QUB Portaferry
Alt = 22 km
•30.5 m² hatchery
•Near-shore test site at sea: 7.3 ha
•100m longlines; trialling other systems: grid and raft
•Max current velocity = 0.3 m/s

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Taken from BIM Manual: Cultivating Laminaria digitata
Direct Seeding:
Spores settle directly onto seeders and become fertile in tanks:

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Taken from BIM Manual: Cultivating Laminaria digitata
Gametophyte Seeding:
Spores develop into fertile gametophytes, which are then sprayed directly onto seeders:

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Taken from BIM Manual: Cultivating Laminaria digitata

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Juvenile Laminaria digitata sporophytes

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Primary school visits describing the research and need for bioenergy

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Scientific partnership… Development of standardised cultivation, sampling and reporting protocols Environmental Monitoring
• water nutrients, temp, PAR,
• benthic survey
• ADCP hydrodynamics survey Biomass analysis
• biometrics measurements
• weights (wet and ashed)
• number of plants, biomass per line
• biochemical composition analysis

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Yes, it grows!!

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Deployment 2014-15
Deployment A: Sept
week of 8th September
First 4 x 100m lines
Deployment B: Oct/Nov
October/November
8 or 12 x 100m lines and new 50m PE raft system

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Scientific Research
Biomass Analysis
•biometrics
• weights
• # plants etc
Environmental data
• Temperature
• PAR
• nutrients
Benthic Survey
• Video
• sediment
• settlement plates
Hydrodynamics Survey
• ADCP model
• Particle transport
Genetics
• SL microsatellites
• Next Gen sequencing
Biochemistry Analysis
• Biochemical composition
• HVP composition/extraction
• Anaerobic Digestion
IMTA
Seeder transport units

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Why is EnAlgae looking at IMTA? Environmental benefits Seaweed is expensive!! £ $ € Cultivable space is not unlimited… Product diversification = risk reduction Tapping into market need Longer term sustainability

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Acknowledgements Dr. Maeve Edwards Dr. Benoit Quéguineur Emma Gorman Dr. John Bothwell Dr. Nessa O’Connor Jennifer Champenois Dr. Julia Sigwart Brendan McNamara Dr. Chris Greenwell Dr. Louise Kregting Prof. Chris Maggs Dr. Henk van Rein
CEVA staff NUIG staff

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