Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your tax-deductible donation now.
USC Scientists Have Found A Way To Mass Produce Kelp For Biofuel
A diver attaches seaweed to a prototype of a device called the “kelp elevator.” (USC Photo/David Ginsburg)
Could cars, trucks and planes be fueled by seaweed one day?
Researchers at USC's Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island have been testing an innovative method of growing kelp that could make that a reality, by dramatically speeding up the algae's growth process.
Kelp is considered a viable source of renewable energy. Unlike other biofuels, it doesn't take pesticides or fertilizer to produce, and it's naturally fast-growing. But up until now, there hasn't been a way to cultivate enough of it to make it cost-competitive with fossil fuels.
As The Wrigley Institute's Diane Kim explains, that's where the "kelp elevator" comes in:
"[It's] basically taking the kelp down to depths where you find an abundant amount of nutrients and then bringing them back up to near the surface where they can then be exposed to light to photosynthesize."
"What we found was that the depth-cycled kelp actually grew faster," Kim says. "This was really exciting for us, because, I mean, we really weren't sure how the kelp would respond to depth-cycling."
The change in underwater pressure didn't damage the kelp, like the researchers thought it might — instead the process yielded about four times as much growth as the natural process would.
Sponsored message
The company Marine BioEnergy, designed and built the system for the study and is now designing technology for open-ocean kelp farms.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
