Tech Desk 
Nov 25, 2024
Sargassum seaweed has become a growing concern of Caribbean beaches, as it started washing up, which has been causing environmental and economic problems since 2011, also affecting tourism. A group of Caribbean scientists and environmentalists which was led by Dr Legena Henry researched how to convert something unwanted into our benefit.
The group developed a procedure through which they can bio-compress Sargassum into natural gas. The ingredients used in the process are seaweed, wastewater from local distilleries and sheep dung these are affordable easily found ingredients used for the conversion process.
The US Blue Chip Foundation was attracted to the research and filed the team $100,000 grant. As seaweed threatens tourism, human health and wildlife, this project is eco-friendly as it is dependent on fossil fuels.
This project was successfully tested on Nissan Leaf, the team is planning to expand its mobility to fill up 300 taxis in Barbados with the potential funding provided by international agencies. They are aiming to expand the use of biogas, such as Sargassum-based products in pest control solutions, as this technology is potentially benefiting affected areas globally.
The Sargassum seaweeds project can be a trailblazer in showcasing to the world how even small islands can develop such stuff that can help in tackling the growing environmental problems
