Norwegian Seaweed Technology Center

Norway has the opportunity to develop the macroalgae cultivation to a new, large industry. Industrial cultivation of macroalgae gives opportunities for production of biomass that can be used as basis for many different products and that can contribute to make Norway more self-sufficient on food, feed ingredients and bioenergy. Norway has vast areas along the coast that are suitable for seaweed cultivation. Seaweeds are primary producers and can be cultivated in the sea without the use of arable land, fertilizers, fresh water, pesticides or antibiotics.

Norwegian Seaweed Technology Center is a knowledge platform for technology development within industrial cultivation, harvesting, processing and application of seaweed in Norway. The center of competence constitutes SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, NTNU Department of Biology and NTNU Department of Biotechnology. The center has a broad network of national and international collaboration partners and aims to support the Norwegian industry and public sector in enabling a new economy based on seaweed cultivation and processing.

Examples of applications of seaweed biomass:

• Food and health food
• Feed and feed ingredients
• Cosmetics
• Pharmaceutical products
• Bio-chemicals
• Bioenergy
• Minerals
• Fertilizers and soil-conditioning

Seaweed cultivation may contribute positively to the environment through:

• Production of biomass that can replace products made from fossil feed-stocks
• Replacement of feed proteins cultivated on areas that originally has been rain forest
• Recycling of excess nutrients from fish farms (IMTA)
• New habitats for marine larvae and juveniles
• Re-establishment of seaweed ecosystems