Netherlands start-up, Kelp Blue, says it intends to fully operationalise its processing plant at Luderitz by the end of June this year.
The firm – which secured a N$31.1-million investment from the De Beers Group to develop the world’s first large-scale kelp farm off the coast of Namibia – was granted a licence to cultivate Giant Kelp off the coast of Namibia in 2021.
Kelp Blue’s processing plant was completed at the cost of N$59 million (US$5 million), with a production target of roughly 150 tonnes of fresh kelp per hectare.
“By producing bio-stimulants, Kelp Blue aims to meet the challenge of increasing global food demand and climate stress by offering an innovative solution to farmers,” Valentin Pitiot, Kelp’s Head of Market Development and Agronomist told The Brief.
Kelp Blue collects cultivated kelp from the seaweed canopy to produce alternative agri-food, bio-stimulant, and textile products, and convert them into a variety of products, including bio-stimulants, at the new processing plant at Luderitz.
The development of the entire project, which is planned to be an 800ha commercial operation, is expected to cost N$938 million over a five-year period.
Kelp Blue is currently developing a range of products based on Macrocystis, such as agri-feed to feed animals in order to increase productivity and stimulate digestibility.
“The start-up is also developing alginates, an input for the bio packaging market. Kelp Blue’s vision is to create products that enable the shift to sustainability in various industries.”
The project is not only aimed at creating local jobs and opportunities for green economic development in Namibia, but also at locking away significant amounts of carbon dioxide in the ocean forever, thus sustaining healthy marine life and ecosystems.
“Fully grown kelp will be harvested to produce ingredients for agriculture, especially bio-stimulants that enable crops to grow better and faster,” De Beers’ Head of Carbon Neutrality Kirsten Hund told the Mining Review.
She added that there are further opportunities in the pharmaceuticals and textiles industries, but the primary focus at present is to create a strong local business producing bio-stimulants.
De Beers is supporting Kelp Blue in developing the pilot in Namibia, as well as in the development of a methodology to measure the amount of carbon that Kelp is removing from the atmosphere.
“There is risk in start-up businesses but the potential of this goes beyond the carbon credit benefits, as it offers the potential for job creation in an employment-restricted area – and could truly energise the region,” said Hund.
The investment from De Beers and initial backing from Climate Fund Managers,’ Climate Investor Two Fund, are expected to fuel Kelp Blue’s plans to create a strong local business that enables the shift to sustainability in various industries.
