Seaweed to biofuels

MacroCarbon

Seaweed to biofuels

Our mission is to de-fossilize industries by cultivating floating seaweed in the ocean producing sustainable carbon-negative biofuels

Spain

ESP

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Addressing the climate crisis requires not only deep emissions reductions, but also the large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions. To achieve global net-zero targets, 5 to 16 billion tons of CO₂ will need to be removed from the atmosphere each year by 2050. Global aviation is responsible of 2.5% of global emissions, contributing to ocean acidification and warming. Due to the new EU-refuel mandate, airlines are obliged to blend Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with their jet fuel, reaching 70% by 2050. The EU has calculated that there will be a 7M tons shortage of biomass to produce SAF. Seaweed biomass is the next generation feedstock since it does not compete for land space, fresh water or fertilizers with food production. In the Canary Islands, where we are developing our first of a kind, tourism accounts for 35% of GDP. These islands are looking for ways to reduce emissions related to tourism. By providing SAF to the airplanes flying from the Canaries, and carbon-negative construction materials for hotels, we are contributing to improving the sustainability of these islands. Besides, the floating aquafarms are proving to be a refuge for marine species contributing to preserve the biodiversity of the islands.

Our solution is to cultivate floating seaweeds such as pelagic Sargassum in the open ocean inside innovative aquafarming structures. We are pioneers in the aquafarming of floating seaweeds with novel floating techniques. This reduces the cost per ton of biomass produced making our biofuels cost competitive with fossil fuels plus CDR. Then we harvest the biomass, we extract the biostimulant and the pulp is then processed with highly efficient gasification by pyrolisis and mini Fischer Tropsch advanced technology to produce SAF, carbon black and biochar. Our processing technology is very efficient at sequestering carbon in valuable products. Our LCA shows that 88% of the carbon taken up by the seaweed ends in our valuable products. Our aquafarms promote marine biodiversity by forming habitats and refuges for other marine species, and by fighting eutrophication and ocean acidification. We constantly monitor the environmental impact and co-benefits of our aquafarms as we scale up to ensure protecting the marine environment. Product demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORcFjzcEqzU

Overall, our solution contributes to the global effort to limit global warming to 1.5°C, benefiting the environment and creating positive impacts across various sectors, fostering a cleaner and more sustainable future for everyone. In particular, our First of a Kind (6 km2 of aquafarms and 6 lanes of processing plant on the Canary Islands) will produce 8,000 tons of SAF per year. Assuming a 50% blend with jet fuel this will make 800 flights from the Canaries to Europe more sustainable. The 6 km2 of aquafarm will sequester 72,000 tons of CO2 equivalents per year contributing to climate change mitigation. In agriculture, the liquid extracted during processing serves as a biostimulant, enhancing crop yields while promoting sustainable farming practices. In construction, our biochar can be integrated into carbon-negative building materials, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional materials with high carbon footprints. The carbon black can be used as a carbon-negative filler for car tires, for ink or for electric batteries.