Seaweed Valorization 2024
The valorization of seaweed, cultivated on land | Funded by SNN
Seaweed has strong potential as a sustainable ingredient for food, feed, and personal care. However, adoption in Europe remains limited due to inconsistent quality and contamination risks in traditional sea-based cultivation.
Seaweed Valorization 2024 focuses on land-based, controlled seaweed cultivation to ensure a clean, reliable, year-round supply. The technology will be applied, tailored, and upscaled in greenhouses in Sexbierum where saline groundwater is available. This enables production at consistent quality and at a scale suitable for industry adoption. Alongside production, the project researches high-value applications of seaweed across the food, feed and personal care sectors.
This 2-year program is supported by SNN, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, and the European Union (JTF / EFRO), and aims to strengthen the seaweed value chain in the Northern Netherlands.
Partners
- Seaweedland — Development and scaling of land-based seaweed cultivation systems.
- Hortimare — Supply of high-quality seedstock and support in strain selection.
- DL Plastics — Engineering and fabrication of scalable cultivation infrastructure.
- CEW (Centre of Expertise Water Technology) — Water treatment and nutrient flow optimization to support stable and circular cultivation.
- Seaweed Food Solutions / Royal Smilde — Food and flavour application development and product validation.
- Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen — Research into biostimulant development for sustainable agriculture.
Project Updates
Scaling Up Cultivation Technology
Scaling Up Cultivation Technology
July 8 , 2025
Together with DL Plastics, a new leak-proof raceway system has been engineered for controlled seaweed cultivation.
Early trials show stable growth performance.
Preparations are underway for a saline groundwater well in Sexbierum to enable full-scale cultivation trials, while partners continue work on food applications, biostimulants, and circular water treatment.
Grant from SNN
Scaling Up Cultivation Technology
June 25, 2024
Seaweedland received a 350,000 euro grant from SNN for the valorization of land based cultivated seaweed, with four partners.
Grant from SNN
Grant from SNN
Januari 12, 2024
Seaweedland received a 195,000 euro grant for Research & Development of its On-Land Seaweed Cultivation Technology.