CH4 Global and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego announce research collaboration to accelerate global scaling of Asparagopsis seaweed cultivation

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Oct 08, 2024, 09:00 ET

Ahead of commercial expansion into U.S., this collaboration builds on CH4 Global's existing cultivation breakthroughs to further optimize production of methane-reducing livestock feed supplement

HENDERSON, Nev., Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CH4 Global Inc., a climate tech company on an urgent mission to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, today announced a research partnership with Dr. Jennifer Smith, a renowned marine botanist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. As the company lays the groundwork to expand into the U.S. market, the collaboration aims to leverage CH4 Global's existing cultivation breakthroughs and advanced scientific knowledge to accelerate global scaling of Asparagopsis seaweed production. Asparagopsis is the key ingredient in CH4 Global's innovative commercial feed supplement, Methane Tamer™, which can reduce methane emissions from cattle by up to 90 percent.

The urgency of reducing emissions of methane – a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period – has never been greater. According to a report issued this month by the Global Carbon Project, methane emissions are skyrocketing, with the amount spewed into the atmosphere by human activities jumping nearly 18% in just the last two decades. Livestock farming, particularly cattle production, is a significant contributor to global methane emissions, with the digestive process of ruminant animals accounting for approximately 30% of all human-driven methane emissions.

CH4 Global, which is currently building the world's largest commercial Asparagopsis cultivation facility in Australia, is partnering with major agrifood companies to create market demand for reduced-methane beef and dairy products, enabling the livestock industry to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint.

Building on CH4 Global's years of pioneering work in Asparagopsis cultivation and the company's success in supplying Methane Tamer™ to commercial customers, the research collaboration with Dr. Smith will focus on further optimizing the cultivation of Asparagopsis taxiformis. The partnership aims to identify the most productive and hardy varieties for U.S. and global cultivation, and to develop techniques to maximize the seaweed's growth rate and concentration of key bioactives to further improve the cost effectiveness of Methane Tamer™.

"Collaborating with a world-class marine scientist like Dr. Smith will be absolutely critical as we continue to scale up the production of Asparagopsis seaweed to meet the massive demand we are seeing for Methane Tamer™ globally," said Dr. Steve Meller, CEO and co-founder of CH4 Global. "Her expertise and previous research on this species will be invaluable in our mission to reduce livestock methane emissions at gigatonne scale. We believe this collaboration will significantly enhance our scientific understanding and cultivation techniques, which are key factors as we work toward expanding into the U.S. market."

Dr. Smith, a professor of marine ecology and conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has been studying Asparagopsis for the past several years and has successfully cultivated the seaweed in her lab. She is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on the species.

"I'm excited to be partnering with CH4 Global to build on our previous work and really dig into the science of how we can sustainably grow the highest quality Asparagopsis at a much larger scale," said Dr. Smith. "This is a tremendous opportunity to leverage cutting-edge research to develop real-world solutions with the potential for global impact on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change."

About CH4 Global
CH4 Global is on a mission to deliver gigaton-scale emissions reductions over the next decade using whole dried Asparagopsis seaweed -- the safest and most effective way of targeting livestock methane. The company's flagship product, Methane Tamer™, leverages Asparagopsis to reduce enteric methane emissions in cattle by up to 90%. Through its innovative EcoPark cultivation system, CH4 Global is scaling rapidly to meet global demand, ensuring profitability throughout the supply chain without relying on subsidies. Headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, with operations in Australia and New Zealand, CH4 Global is pioneering a new era of sustainable animal agriculture; to learn more, visit www.ch4global.com.

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SOURCE CH4 Global, Inc.