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Green Innovation Fund supports Bideford Bay Seaweed Farm


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A pilot seaweed farm is being established in Bideford with the help of funding from our Green Innovation Fund.

The funding is helping Algapelago Marine Ltd to bring forward its scheme to create a seaweed farm and processing operation in Bideford Bay, with plans to scale up the farm each year following this pilot.

The company is working with academics from Plymouth Marine Laboratories, Portsmouth University, and the Eden project to research the potential for the seaweed market in capturing carbon and improving coastal habitats.

In addition to its benefit of absorbing carbon the seaweed crop can offer an array of uses, including animal feed, fertilisers, bioplastics, and cosmetics – reducing the carbon footprint of these products, due to the low intensity of the cultivation process.

The Green Innovation Fund has already invested more than £750,000 in innovative projects and technologies which will drive green growth in Devon’s economy.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills, said:

“This is another excellent example of where the Green Innovation Fund is helping a local business to develop an opportunity for green growth. As well as the environmental benefits of tackling carbon, the project provides the potential to create sustainable local jobs in Torridge and contribute towards the regeneration of the Bideford Bay area which is good news for Devon’s economy.”

Humphrey Atkinson, Co-Founder, Algapelago Marine Limited, said: “Algapelago Marine seaweed farms are thrilled to be receiving Devon County Council’s funding and support to accelerate the development of our pilot seaweed farm in Bideford Bay. Devon County Council funding has helped to bring the seaweed farm with its bioremediation and carbon drawdown benefits from the drawing board to reality as well as giving investors confidence to back the company. We are excited to now scale up the company to bring local jobs and a new industry to the area in the shape of sustainable mariculture in support of the Devon Carbon Plan and its journey towards its Net Zero targets.”

The Green Innovation Fund is funded through our £6million recovery programme which aims to support four key areas during the recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic: small and medium enterprises, employment and skills, the green recovery, and the hardest hit towns and communities.


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