Offshore wind farms hold key to sustainable seaweed at scale

Danish researchers at Aarhus University have demonstrated that offshore wind farms can serve dual-use sites for industrial-scale sugar kelp cultivation in the North Sea. Field trials show high yields, excellent quality, and nutrient removal from seawater—all without farmland, fertilizer, or fresh water. Seaweed can be processed into food ingredients, animal feed, or bio-based materials while actively removing nitrogen and phosphorus from coastal waters.

The food supply systems to handle seaweed at this scale are not yet established.