Simply Blue Group and Arctic Seaweed have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore solutions for jointly deploying seaweed farms between offshore wind farms.
Seaweed farming in Europe is experiencing rapid growth and has the potential to replace resource-intensive products like meat or plastic. The key advantages of seaweed lie in its characteristics. Firstly, seaweed is highly versatile. Secondly, it requires only nutrients from the ocean and sunlight to grow, eliminating the need for fertilizers or freshwater.
Both companies, Simply Blue Group and Arctic Seaweed, are leading in their specific fields. They believe that combining their expertise can do a project that aligns with the ongoing European blue economy movement.
Under this collaboration, Simply Blue Group will focus on developing prototype seaweed farms, serving as a stepping stone for future large-scale solutions within offshore wind farms. On the other hand, Arctic Seaweed will concentrate on creating a cutting-edge production line, spanning from direct seeding to harvesting and processing. This production line will be designed to be installed on offshore support vessels already utilized in wind farms.
Sam Roch Perks, co-founder and CEO of Simply Blue Group, said seaweeds have a significant role in addressing climate change, but development was lacking. "In Europe, seaweed farming has not been developed to its full potential due to the small scale of the enterprises, the limited number of seaweed species and traditional growing techniques… However we recognise the potential for strong growth in seaweed production. We are delighted to partner with Arctic Seaweed to help progress this opportunity."
Kim Kristensen CEO of Arctic Seaweed AS said that from the start, Arctic Seaweed has focused on building a technology platform with the aim to industrialize seaweed cultivation. "This strategy enables us to cater specifically for offshore wind and seaweed farm integration in various locations around the world. With Simply Blue Group, we have found an excellent partner to explore the necessary steps into combining these promising technologies."
Simply Blue Group, based in Cork, Ireland, is a leading developer in the blue economy sector. They focus on offshore renewable energy projects, energy parks, and low impact aquaculture, including seaweed farms. Their mission is to fight climate change and promote sustainable solutions for future generations.
Arctic Seaweed is a Norwegian company specializing in cost-efficient and sustainable seaweed farming. Their innovative approach minimizes environmental impact while embracing disruptive technology to revolutionize the industry. With farms in Bergen, Ålesund, and Greenland, Arctic Seaweed is at the forefront of driving transformative change in seaweed cultivation.