Public Funding for Ccell Renewables Limited

The Bio-based Electrochemical Artificial Reef (BEAR) project will develop a cost-effective, long-term resilient solution to face the most pressing challenges of coastal protection worldwide. The project aims to replace the use of steel in CCell Reefs with bio-based materials to reduce costs, carbon footprint, and risk of supply shortages while maintaining the erosion mitigation of current CCell Reefs. CCell Reefs seek to mimic the wave attenuation properties of natural coral and oyster reefs, dissipating wave energy and breaking waves before they reach the shore, thereby protecting coasts from erosion and restoring sand to the beach. Electrolysis is applied to form a calcareous layer of rock on the reef surface that confers strength to the structure and allows the attachment of marine organisms. Over time, through the recruitment of oysters, corals or mussels on the rock, the structure evolves into a self-healing, living reef that protects fish and benthic animals. The BEAR project expands on our existing CCell Reef technology and launches our research in innovative materials for next-generation coastal protection technology. In collaboration with the University of Bath the project aims to deliver: * An optimised procedure to grow rock non-conductive bio-based surfaces using seawater electrolysis. * Proof of the BEAR concept by designing and constructing a bio-based reef to achieve the same wave attenuation of current CCell Reefs. * A 6-month pilot test at the Marine Site at the University of Portsmouth. * Characterisation of the wave attenuation properties and biodiversity index of the mature BEAR prototype. The success of this project would drastically reduce both the cost and environmental impact of coastal protection interventions. This in turn will remove economic limitations and lead to more inclusive and widely available shoreline management solutions.

More than one third of the world's coastlines, and 3000km of the UK's, are suffering from erosion as a result of climate change and urbanisation. Traditional "hard" approaches to coastal protection like breakwaters and sea walls are made from concrete and rock, which is unsustainable and expensive. They disrupt the coastal environment, feel the full force of the ocean, and degrade over time. In the UK, we have more coastline protected in this old-fashioned way than any other country in Europe. CCell designs electrochemically grown artificial reefs that mimic the wave attenuation properties of natural coral reefs. They grow offshore and are submerged below the water surface where they reduce the impact of waves before they reach the shore. The reefs are formed initially from lightweight steel structures, around which electrolysis causes rock to grow. These structures build themselves up over time using minerals extracted from the seawater itself, they can heal from damage, and they eventually form a self-sufficient long-lasting ecosystem that protects the shoreline behind it. The UK is the biggest exporter of scrap metal in Europe, a large proportion of which is steel. Our project partners, The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP), has extensive knowledge of the reused steel supply chain in the UK. There is an opportunity to reuse steel from buildings as the base material for CCell reefs, reducing their cost whilst contributing to the circular economy in the UK. The reuse of metal in this way is theoretically feasible; there is no reason why it would not be conductive and strong enough to form the base of CCell reefs. This project aims to address two main challenges: First, we will investigate how used steel performs electrochemically compared to new and determine any treatment that might be needed to achieve the best rock growth. Second, we will research how the forming of reused steel into an appropriate reef shape might affect its strength and identify methods for creating a reef that is strong enough to carry out its coastal protection function. Our vision is to install reefs across the UK that offer a more long-lasting and attractive coastal protection solution than traditional methods, reusing metals to make them as cost-effective and sustainable as possible.