Home›Commodities›Energy Transition›Mexico turns to biofuels to deal with escalating sarga…

Mexico turns to biofuels to deal with escalating sargassum costs

Mexico says annual sargassum management runs about $2 billion, roughly 11% of local GDP, as the government looks to monetize algae like seaweed into products.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Energy Transition

Over the past 15 years, Mexico has struggled with sargassum, a brown seaweed that washes up along the Caribbean coast and disrupts tourism in areas such as Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen. OilPrice reports that researchers have yet to find a way to reliably prevent the seaweed from reaching shore or to accurately predict its movement.

Mexico and local governments have relied on daily cleanup operations using industrial equipment to keep beaches usable. OilPrice reports that the cleanup effort involves clearing up to about 9,000 tons of seaweed per day.

The story notes that sargassum also has environmental downsides, including decomposition that can release methane, and it can affect the health of people and workers who are regularly exposed. OilPrice reports that the annual expenditure on sargassum management is about $2 billion, roughly equivalent to 11% of local GDP.

As Mexico attempts to manage the large quantities each year, researchers are exploring potential uses for the algae, including turning it into biofuel or fertilizer. OilPrice reports that the effort is part of a broader attempt to reduce the tourism and economic impact of the ongoing seaweed problem.

More like this

Sources