Amazon is planning to allocate some of its funds to build the first "commercial-scale" seaweed farm in the world. The structure will be constructed between wind turbines offshore.
The company dubbed the project "North Sea Farm 1" which will be situated in the Netherlands.
Aside from testing potential techniques for high-graded seaweed farming, the e-commerce giant is looking forward to removing carbon from the atmosphere through this venture.
Amazon Plans to Build Seaweed Farms Between Offshore Wind Turbines
As Amazon stated in its blog last week, the project will focus on seaweed cultivation in Europe, particularly in the North Sea.
The company added that by 2040, there would be about one million hectares for seaweed farming. This project is important especially if the firm plans to go green in the next few years by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air every year.
North Sea Farmers (NSF), a non-profit organization will be the one to spearhead the project under Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund.
The million-dollar project will be composed of the best scientists and researchers who have expertise in seaweed farming and carbon sequestration.
By the time it will be launched, the project can be a role model to other global companies who want to get started with offshore seaweed farming.
Because it's expected to be a huge project for Amazon, the funding will cost them €1.5 million or $2.16 million. This will be used for the continuous research that will be done throughout the years.
As more tech giants such as Alphabet, Microsoft, and Apple pledged to go carbon-neutral by 2030, Amazon has just taken its first step to conduct "nature-based solutions" for decarbonization.
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New Jobs and Cleaner Air For Everyone
Interesting Engineering reports that in the first year of seaweed farming, the Seattle giant says that production will yield at least 6,000 kgs of fresh seaweed.
Aside from that, Amazon says that this venture will open more jobs to those people who are searching for work opportunities. This might be the company's way to accept more applicants who might have been laid off from their companies in the past months.
As Amazon's Director EU Sustainability Zak Watts said, seaweeds are currently farmed in Europe, but only in select and "relatively small" areas.
"We're delighted to fund this project to help us reach a greater understanding of its ability to help fight climate change," Watts added.
Amazon has not mentioned the specific purpose why will cultivate seaweed aside from carbon reduction. However, it is known to many that it's an ideal "superfood" that can work better than soybean or corn.
Amazon's commitment to protecting nature is not the first to happen in Europe. Previously, it has invested in urban greening programs in Germany. In the UK, it initiated a tree planting project as part of biodiversity improvement.
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