The U.S Department of Energy’s ARPA-E Program has awarded $22 million to support development of technologies that will accelerate the deployment of advanced ocean farming systems capable of delivering renewable biomass feedstock at a cost competitive with terrestrial biomass feedstock.

Catalina Sea Ranch was awarded $500,000 as the prime contractor and serves as the subcontractor to the team led by the University of California, Irvine’s award for $1,815,529 to conduct macroalgae research and modeling ocean conditions at Catalina Sea Ranch’s aquaculture facility for three years.

This research will significantly enhance Catalina Sea Ranch’s aquaculture husbandry skills; provide science-based data for ranch expansion; and, increase support from the environmental coastal community. Essentially, the DOE is proving the risk capital to launch a new sustainable industry that is synergistic with offshore aquaculture.