Seaweed projects in the Baltic Sea region
There are parallel running Interreg projects related to seaweed in the Baltic Sea region such as CONTRA (Conversion of a Nuisance To a Resource and Asset) and COASTAL Biogas (solutions based on anaerobic digestion of cast seaweed to coastal regions to tackle eutrophication, contribute to the transition to a circular bio-economy and improve prosperity).
COASTAL Biogas is pursuing the ambition to stimulate the collaboration and exchange of knowledge, results and experiences between these projects. The projects have similar target groups and by cooperation the impact and outcome of the projects are enhanced. As a first step representatives for CONTRA and GRASS are invited as speakers to the COASTAL Biogas conference series.
Eutrophication has both ecological and social consequences and is one of the major environmental problems in the Baltic Sea at the same time there is a need for a transition from a fossil-based to a sustainable bio-based society. By digesting cast seaweed and use the digestate to replace fossil based artificial fertilizers nutrients are physically removed from the Baltic Sea and hence the nutrients loop is closed which is fundamental for the circular bioeconomy. In addition, the inconveniences with rotten seaweed (smell, flies etc.) are eliminated and low quality resources are transferred into a renewable high quality fuel that can be used for local electricity and heat supply, as transport fuel or for injection into the natural gas grid.
The second COASTAL Biogas conference will take place on the 13th of November 2019 at Roskilde University, Denmark. On the 14th of November there will be a study tour to Solrød biogas plant. SUBMARINER Network will participate in the event, presenting the GRASS project and Alliance's BIOFISK business case.
Banner picture copy right Juris Aigars, Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Agency of Daugavpils University (LIAE).