The new facility will reduce the costs of Asparagopsis production by as much as 90 percent © CH4 Global
CH4 Global - a start-up aiming to use seaweed-based supplements to reduce cattle methane emissions - today announced that it has begun production at the world’s first commercial-scale Asparagopsis farming facility. This landmark achievement marks a major step forward in making seaweed-based methane reduction accessible and economically viable for the global livestock industry.
CH4 Global’s EcoPark facility, which formally opened today in Louth Bay, South Australia, represents a breakthrough in the commercial-scale production of Asparagopsis seaweed for livestock methane reduction. With production costs at the new facility being as low as one-tenth of those of conventional methods, due to an innovative pond-based cultivation system, CH4 Global aims to provide its Methane Tamer cattle feed supplement at a price which is beneficial throughout the agricultural value-chain.
"The opening of this facility lays to rest any doubt about whether Asparagopsis production can be scaled to meet commercial demand. We've cracked the code on making methane-reducing feed supplements commercially viable without requiring government subsidies – a crucial step in scaling this important climate solution," said Steve Meller, CH4 Global co-founder and CEO, in a press release.
The EcoPark's initial phase includes 10 large-scale cultivation ponds with a combined capacity of 2 million litres, able to produce more than 80 tonnes of Asparagopsis annually. Over the next year, the facility will expand to 100 ponds capable of producing enough Asparagopsis to serve 45,000 cattle per day – a significant step toward meeting demand from CH4 Global's existing commercial partners in Australia and beyond.
"With the EcoPark, CH4 Global now has more production capacity than all other producers combined, putting us in a unique position to meet growing market demand," Meller concluded.
