{"id":55724,"date":"2025-02-24T08:30:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T08:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=55724"},"modified":"2025-02-24T10:09:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T10:09:08","slug":"the-seaweed-solution-how-ch4-global-is-scaling-natures-methane-busting-powerhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/the-seaweed-solution-how-ch4-global-is-scaling-natures-methane-busting-powerhouse\/55724\/","title":{"rendered":"The seaweed solution: How CH4 Global is scaling nature\u2019s methane-busting powerhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Meller, the CEO of CH4 Global, discusses how the company is harnessing the methane-reducing properties of Asparagopsis seaweed to create a scalable and cost-effective cattle feed additive that significantly reduces methane emissions.<\/h2>\n

In the battle against climate change, methane emissions are the new frontline. This potent greenhouse gas, with over 80 times the warming potential of CO\u2082 over a 20-year period, is a key driver of near-term warming. And when it comes to human-caused methane emissions, one source stands out: cattle.<\/p>\n

Livestock agriculture accounts for nearly one-third of anthropogenic methane<\/a>, with beef and dairy cattle the primary contributors. As demand for protein to feed the world\u2019s population continues to rise, so, too, do emissions \u2013 painting a bleak picture for our climate future.<\/p>\n

But what if there were a natural, cost-effective way to dramatically reduce methane from cattle? A solution that didn\u2019t require a complete overhaul of agricultural systems but instead worked within them?<\/p>\n

At CH4 Global<\/a>, we\u2019ve dedicated ourselves to answering those questions. And in the process, we\u2019ve unlocked the door to scaling one of the most exciting climate innovations of the decade: methane-busting Asparagopsis seaweed.<\/p>\n

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CH4 Global CEO Steve Meller holds a flask of Asparagopsis while kneeling beside a large-scale cultivation pond at the company\u2019s EcoPark in Louth Bay, South Australia, the world\u2019s first commercial-scale facility for growing the red seaweed. The Asparagopsis in the flask, harvested directly from the pond, will be processed into Methane Tamer\u2122, CH4 Global\u2019s feed supplement that reduces methane emissions by up to 90% when fed to cattle in small amounts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The power of Asparagopsis<\/h3>\n

Our journey began in 2018 when I co-founded CH4 Global with the goal of delivering climate impact at scale with urgency. For us, that meant targeting livestock methane emissions by developing a scalable, affordable solution. We knew that to succeed, we\u2019d need a product that was not only highly effective but also easy for farmers to adopt and economically viable across the value chain.<\/p>\n

Enter Asparagopsis. This unassuming red seaweed harbours a remarkable secret: when added to cattle feed in small quantities, it has been shown to reduce methane production in the rumen by over 90%.<\/p>\n

The discovery of Asparagopsis\u2019 methane-inhibiting properties is a fascinating story in itself. In 2014, a team of researchers at Australia\u2019s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and James Cook University noticed something remarkable: in lab studies, adding Asparagopsis to an artificial rumen slashed methane production almost entirely. Subsequent trials in live cattle and sheep confirmed the effect.<\/p>\n

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Dried and processed Asparagopsis, shown here, is the active ingredient in CH4 Global\u2019s Methane TamerTM cattle feed supplement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The key is the suite of bioactive compounds naturally produced by the seaweed. Among them, bromoform plays the most significant role, working alongside the others to disrupt the enzymatic process that produces methane in a cow\u2019s gut, preventing methane emissions before they form.<\/p>\n

For a cattle industry under increasing pressure to curb its climate footprint, the implications were game-changing. Here was a natural, seaweed-based solution that could deliver dramatic methane reductions without requiring a complete overhaul of farming practices. But there was a challenge: Asparagopsis had never been cultivated at a commercial scale before.<\/p>\n

The road to scale<\/h3>\n

Determined to unlock the full climate potential of Asparagopsis, CH4 Global set out to develop a scalable, cost-effective way to integrate it into cattle feed. Our goal was clear: to produce a consistent, shelf-stable Asparagopsis product based on the whole, natural plant, as opposed to extracting a single bioactive compound from the seaweed or synthesising one in a lab. Crucially, we had to do it in a way that ensured our product could be easily adopted by farmers and be priced low enough to guarantee economic viability across the supply chain.<\/p>\n

Achieving this would require overcoming significant challenges. Traditional approaches to seaweed cultivation either relied on costly commercial or home-built indoor tank systems or involved growing the seaweed in the open ocean, where it was subject to high variability and seasonality. To cultivate Asparagopsis at scale and deliver a reliable, affordable end product, we knew we\u2019d need to innovate.<\/p>\n

Our solution: the EcoPark system \u2013 a proprietary, pond-based cultivation platform that slashes capital and operating costs to as little as one-tenth of traditional tank-based seaweed farming. The ponds are enclosed in polytunnels that provide optimal growing conditions while ensuring a steady, high-quality supply of Asparagopsis. The harvested seaweed is then processed and combined with other safe ingredients to make our cattle feed additive, Methane Tamer\u2122, which is produced at a cost that enables large-scale adoption and ensures profitability throughout the agricultural value chain \u2013 without requiring government subsidies.<\/p>\n

A new era begins<\/h3>\n

In January 2025, CH4 Global officially opened Phase One of the world\u2019s largest commercial Asparagopsis production facility \u2013 our first EcoPark in Louth Bay, South Australia. The EcoPark represents a true revolution in Asparagopsis cultivation, capable of churning out industrial quantities of seaweed at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. At full capacity, its 500 ponds could produce enough Asparagopsis to serve hundreds of thousands of cattle per day.<\/p>\n

This expansion comes as CH4 Global accelerates the global adoption of Methane Tamer\u2122 through key strategic partnerships:<\/p>\n