Our Approach
There is no time for passive research on traditional timelines: we must commit to testing our hypothesis at scale, rapidly, in a way that brings immediate benefit to communities on the front lines of climate injustice – in this case, native Alaskan peoples.
Right now, we are working with native Alaskan kelp farmers on innovations that will, in the short term, make kelp farming easier, cheaper, and more predictable – great qualities for small-scale farms, but also mission-critical to the kind of large-scale farms we need for meaningful carbon sequestration.
We’re poised to move the needle in a sustainable and regenerative direction through a 3-phase approach:
Phase I: Partner with Indigenous kelp farmers as they incorporate our novel technology to improve yields.
Phase II: Prove the viability of regenerative deep blue carbon capture through marine benthic (bottom of the ocean) kelp sequestration.
Phase III: Scale our process to address the global need for massive carbon removal and validate the quality of Deep Blue carbon sequestration at scale.
Innovations
1. Smart Buoy
Our “smart” buoy platform is equipped with tiny sensors, including a novel patent pending biomass sensor. The sensors monitor ocean conditions like water temperature, biomass and wave energy, and correlate them to kelp growth rates; they transmit that data back to kelp farmers on land, eliminating the need for gas-powered boats to do in-person monitoring. These buoys are powered by rechargeable batteries and made from biodegradable wood and composites safe for marine life.
2. Mobile Hatchery
Access to parent kelp seed stock is a major barrier for young farmers. To address this, we are developing portable kelp seed nurseries housed in shipping containers, making seed stock more accessible in remote regions and helping farmers comply with state regulations requiring seed stock be gathered within 50 miles of where it is farmed. Kelp is very hardy, but nurseries are delicate operations; our hatchery automates maintenance tasks to cut down on labor required for a successful crop.
3. Solar-Powered “Saildrone”
Still in prototype stage, this is a 12-meter, fully autonomous, multifaceted marine vessel powered exclusively by a wind-battery-inertia system. Built from wood and composites, the saildrone can autonomously deploy and retrieve smart buoys far offshore. The retrieved buoys are then delivered back to origin, reseeded, and redeployed. The saildrone is key to unlocking the carbon sequestration potential of our work; it could also help making shipping affordable for more farmers.
We have established workshops in Cordova, AK and Seattle, WA to build and test these components along with our partners. If you’re interested in supporting this work, please get in touch!