By Nicholas Shell, Seawater Solutions Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer
On the 21 st of June Seawater Solutions submitted a proposal to the MIT solve program for the creation of a zero-waste agriculture system using saline water.
In partnership with the microalgae producer Sol Agron JSC, we can use 100% of wastewater from microalgae production to grow saline tolerant vegetables. Creating two different valuable commodities in one system.
The site will be a hub for development of various saline derived agricultural products, including halophyte species, salt tolerant conventional crops, and new innovations in the microalgae field. While these crops have established markets, we will also test new uses for these products in industries such as aquafeed, livestock cosmetics, and nutrition.
Ultimately, the site will be a demonstration, not only for commodities produced with sea water, but also for the advantages of circular agriculture – where multiple systems combine to create a diverse resource efficient agricultural model.
You can find all the details for our MIT solve application at this link: https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/resilient-ecosystems/solutions/48515
Results of our submission will come in September, and we look forward to being part of the MIT Solve program!