The Plan to Turn the Caribbean’s Glut of Sargassum Into Biofuel
1 min read
Summary
Large quantities of seaweed known as sargassum have been washing up on the beaches of the Caribbean coast of Mexico every summer for the past 15 years, damaging the tourist industry and causing health hazards with its toxic fumes.
Researchers have suggested a number of reasons for the phenomenon, including warmer ocean temperatures and increased agricultural fertiliser use.
A study by the Inter-American Development Bank put the decrease in GDP of the state of Quintana Roo at up to 11.6% due to the sargassum.
Mexican company Nopalimex has developed a method of using the seaweed to produce biofuel, harnessing 20,000 cubic metres of biogas from 500 tonnes of sargassum.
Engineers believe that the sargassum could provide a source of carbon credits through its use in biofuel production, as the carbon locked within it when processed could count towards emissions reductions.
Researchers at Mexico’s National Autonomous University have also developed construction materials from the sargassum.
The Mexican government has launched projects to unlock the potential of the seaweed.
