Marine biomass energy project
California giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is the species under current study as the producer of the biomass and, to this end, an open ocean test farm has been successfully deployed off the coast of southern California for the purpose of cultivating kelp on an artificial substrate. Nutrients are continually supplied to the kelp plants by means of a 1500-foot, vertical, polyethylene pipe anchored to the test farm structure. Here, the key research areas and in particular, the ocean's aspects of the program are reviewed. The uniqueness of the Energy from Marine Biomass Program is especially typified in its ocean engineering challenges, not the least of which was the deep water upwelling system. The application of the unique cost effective upwelling solution developed to satisfy kelp fertilization is synergistic with other ocean energy programs, and the details of fabrication, instrumentation, deployment and operating history are discussed here. Operational data of the test farm since its initial deployment are presented herein, and recent favorable developments centering on the natural recruitment of an abundance of juvenile kelp plants on the artificial structure of the open ocean test farm are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Philadelphia, PA (USA). Re-Entry and Environmental Systems Div.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-78ET11017
- OSTI ID:
- 5688454
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/11017-T3; ON: DE82005794
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SEAWEEDS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
CULTIVATION
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DESIGN
METHANE
PERFORMANCE
PLANT GROWTH
TEST FACILITIES
UPWELLING
YIELDS
ALKANES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOCONVERSION
DIGESTION
ENERGY SOURCES
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
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