In the Sahara Desert – one of the most extreme environments on Earth – a natural solution to climate change is emerging. That solution is algae! Algae absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release oxygen during photosynthesis – a process that predates the appearance of terrestrial plants.
The British startup Brilliant Planet (BP) has leased 6,100 hectares of land near the remote town of Akhfenir, located on the southern coast of Morocco. This site is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Sahara Desert to the south. BP’s CEO, Adam Taylor, stated that the company has developed a rapid algae farming method, inspired by natural algal blooms.
A test tube of algae can cover 16 gigantic tanks filled with local seawater – equivalent to 77 Olympic-sized swimming pools – in just 30 days. Afterward, the algae are harvested and sprayed across the desert surface from the height of a ten-story building. It takes about 30 seconds for the algae to fall to the ground, in a dry state due to the hot air. The dry, salt-laden algae flakes remain buried beneath the sand, holding the carbon they have absorbed for thousands of years – according to BP.
“Nature-based solutions are highly effective at removing carbon. The desert environment has not been utilized properly. Leasing land here costs very little and is supported by governments,” Taylor told CNN.
Brilliant Planet’s algae farming site in Akhfenir – Morocco. (Photo: BRILLIANT PLANET)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that by 2100, billions of tons of CO2 must be removed from the atmosphere to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The finish line is set, but the path to achieve it is fraught with debate, with numerous carbon capture solutions proposed.
The most attention-grabbing solution is direct air capture technology. Receiving billions of dollars in investment from the U.S. Department of Energy, this technology employs machines with filters to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, which is then stored underground or used in the production of materials such as concrete. Other solutions lean more towards “nature-aligned” methods like afforestation, biochar, and biomass energy.
According to Taylor, BP’s solution can remove CO2 from the atmosphere (measured per hectare) at a rate 30 times greater than a typical forest found in Europe, and this effectiveness is long-lasting. Starting from a 3-hectare trial, BP plans to establish a farm that spans 200 hectares and eventually expand to 1,000 hectares on the leased land in Akhfenir.
BP aims to sell carbon credits to fund operations and expansion; their long-term goal is to eliminate 1 million tons of CO2 annually – equivalent to the annual emissions of 217,000 cars – by the end of this decade. To achieve this goal, they will need 10,000 hectares in various locations and a total investment of approximately 1 billion USD, according to Taylor.
“We have identified around half a million square kilometers of coastal desert land that meets our requirements,” said BP’s CEO, revealing that the next potential site could be in Namibia. So far, BP has secured 26 million USD in investments and plans to raise funds again this year.
Regarding BP’s idea, Fatna Ikrame El Fanne, an environmental expert from Morocco, believes that using algae is “a new and promising strategy.” The geographical conditions of the country are also suitable for the project.
“Morocco has many vast deserts that could be used for carbon capture projects,” El Fanne assessed. However, she cautioned that large-scale microalgae production could disrupt local ecosystems, put stress on water resources, and alter habitats.
