Pioneering seaweed harvest in the North Sea
For the first time, a harvest has been taken at the world's first seaweed farm located within the boundaries of an offshore wind farm. Located off the Dutch coast in the North Sea and in between wind turbines, this farm is an important milestone in multi-use of offshore wind farms. North Sea Farmers, Deltares, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Silvestrum Climate Associates are investigating the future for seaweed farming.
Safe limits for upscaling
This test farm can give insights into whether seaweed cultivation can remove carbon from the atmosphere, contributing to climate resilience, and what the safe limits are for upscaling within the North Sea. In the longer term, seaweed farms could potentially promote biodiversity and help reduce agricultural pressure on land. The harvesting process at North Sea Farm 1, spanning five hectares of the 'Hollandse Kust Zuid' wind farm, involves the use of a vessel carefully navigating between wind turbines, collecting seaweed from nets anchored to the seabed. The North Sea Farmers and Plymouth Marine Laboratoryhave been monitoring the farm using satellite data, as well as site visits. These are used to develop models to evaluate the potential impact of seaweed cultivation on carbon cycling and to understand upper scaling limits for future projects.
Role of Deltares
Deltares focusses on the transport of seaweed fragments that are lost during storms and harvest, as well as modelling the interaction of the farm with the North Sea environment. Luca van Duren, marine ecologist at Deltares: “We’re aiming to learn if it is possible to achieve commercial-scale production of a valuable commodity with negligeable impact on the carrying capacity of the North Sea for the rest of the food web”.
Following the harvest, the farm’s research partners will deliver a first analysis of the seaweed's growth, carbon absorption rates, and local impact on carbon storage, as well as potential effects on wildlife. These data can help to feed models that can be used to gain insights into the potential impact of large-scale seaweed cultivation and ensure future sustainability.
Seaweed production
The harvested seaweed can be processed into a wide range of items, including textiles, foods and wellness products, demonstrating the relevance of commercial seaweed production for European markets.
The farm was created by North Sea Farmers - European Seaweed Association, a non-profit organisation, with funding Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund.
