3rd generation biofuels: Scottish farming of seaweed

Posted by Stella Kin

Link to farming of algae and kelp specific to Scotland. It doesn't go into much depth, but there are a few interesting points:

• Heating and transport make up 3/4 of Scottish energy use - this should provide some direction in terms of the usefulness of specific products that can be gained from different biofuels
• There is already a history of seaweed farming in Britain from the 17th and 18th centuries.

I thought at first that open-pond farming was unrealistic given the relative lack of sunlight we get, but the article says that Scotland's rugged coast and cool wet climate is ideal for the large-scale cultivation of seaweed. Whether there will be public objection, and what the impact will be on marine life (positive and negative) will still need to be researched.

Anyway, I think we should be looking at the energy needs of Scotand to direct our research. Wind and wave power have already been identified as key, so how can biofuels supplement that? I've added a Scottish Parliament link to the general biofuels info.

Reference
Natural Environment Research Council