Public Funding for Microgrow Systems Limited

UK aquaculture SME Seaweed Generation's (SeaGen) focus is on creating technology and infrastructure that can unlock the potential of seaweed in the global battle against climate change. Our belief is that automation, robotics, data and a innovation can hold the key to a scalable and sustainable future for seaweed aquaculture and for the planet. UK horticultural SME, Microgrow Systems (Microgrow), are industry leaders in high quality LED lighting systems that have the potential to save energy while optimising plant growth and health. This project is a partnership between Seaweed Generation and Microgrow to establish feasibility for the UK's first commercial seeding system for Dulse, a highly desirable red seaweed that could become a viable plant based protein alternative both in the UK and globally in the next five years. Climate change presents a global crisis that impacts people, environments and economies worldwide, with more severe impacts for those who have the least resources to combat them. To halt warming, we will need to reduce emissions by 75% and massively increase biodiversity across the planet. For our food chain this means eliminating emissions wherever possible, and finding sustainable sources of protein for food and animal feed without water and land needs. We will need to rehabilitate our soils, bio-diversify much of our agricultural land, and continue to offer appropriate nutrition to the world's population. Seaweed offers us an opportunity to grow high protein, nutrient dense biomass in the UK, without the need to commit more land to crop production. This feasibility study will allow full assessment of seeding techniques and practices for Dulse - a particularly tasty (umami) and protein-rich red seaweed that has proved challenging to grow. SeaGen and Microgrow will develop an automated seeding system that can reliably produce Dulse spores for large scale cultivation practices. The industry currently relies largely upon wild harvesting which is unpredictable and potentially unsustainable. This project aims to create a system for reliable seeding stock, allowing the seaweed food industry to develop in the UK, ultimately becoming a viable and cost effective plant based protein source.

Climate change presents a global crisis that impacts people, environments and economies worldwide, with more severe impacts for those who have the least resources to combat them. It is unarguably an existential threat to humanity. To halt warming, we will need to reduce emissions by 75% and massively increase biodiversity across the planet. For our food chain, this means eliminating emissions wherever possible and finding sustainable sources of protein for human and animal feed without water and land needs. We will need to rehabilitate our soils, bio-diversify much of our agricultural land, and continue to offer appropriate nutrition to the world's population. Seaweed offers us an opportunity to grow nutrient-dense biomass in the UK without the need to commit more land to crop production. Seaweed farms also have the potential to be co-located alongside offshore wind farms, with benefits to both industries. The proposed project is focused on creating technology and infrastructure that can unlock the potential of seaweed in the global battle against climate change. This project aims to establish the UK's first commercial cultivation system for dulse, a highly desirable red seaweed that could become a viable low-emission home-grown protein alternative to replace soyabean meal in chicken feed in UK. Dulse is a particularly desirable protein rich red seaweed with many growth-promoting effects that has so far proved challenging to grow. This feasibility study will allow a full assessment of the cultivation inputs required (and corresponding emissions) for pure tank based vs. at-sea cultivation. The project will enable us to establish the most biologically and commercially viable route to successful cultivation of dulse. The biochemical analysis of the pure tank based vs. at-sea cultivated seaweed will allow us to select the most nutritious and protein-rich species of dulse. The efficacy and potential of dulse produced and selected will be tested in poultry feed trials (in vivo) to explore the seaweed soyabean meal replacement potential. As dulse has great potential to improve gut health, arising from its immune-modulating functions, as a consequence, its impact on the gut microbiome could contribute to the use of seaweed to reduce reliance on antibiotics. The impact of dulse on the gut microbiome will be further explored by studying its impact on gut microbial diversity, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the occurrence of zoonotic pathogens.