Algae Power

Algae Power is a social enterprise that aims to provide an accessible alternative on CO2 biofixation and oxygen generation to mitigate climate change by replicating synthetically photosynthesis through microalgae panels. 

Carbon Sequestration and Biofixation Strategies

The IPCC uses four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) to demonstrate the effects of action or inaction on CO₂ levels in the atmosphere. Climate scientists currently think that RCP 8.5 (sometimes called the 'business-as-usual' pathway) is the most likely scenario.

The latest IPCC report indicates that in order to avoid global temperature rising to 1.5° C we must reduce AND actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere, and currently, plans to address active carbon sequestration and biofixation are neither ambitious nor efficient enough to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels since they mostly rely on planting trees and plants that naturally absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. 

So why aren't trees enough to save the earth, you ask?

Best-case scenarios show that it will take around 25 years before the amount of carbon sequestered matches the number of carbon emissions for a single person’s share (some trees can take up to 100 years to mature fully).

And although trees are a vital tool in fighting climate change when left unprotected, they release the CO2 they had previously absorbed back into the atmosphere and can end up recycling the same CO₂ over and over again, never having the time to store it away permanently. Previously sequestered CO₂ returns to historic CO₂. Trees will capture, release, capture, release—the cycle continues. 

Even if we used trees as our carbon sequestration and biofixation
strategy, we would need to find 1.7 billion hectares of suitable land to plant these trees. In fact, a team of scientists at NASA estimate that reforesting 1.7 billion hectares of new trees could take between one and two thousand years.

You'll probably agree that it won’t help us much in the ~10 years estimated by the IPCC that we have left to prevent irreversible changes to the climate and maintain global temperature rising to 1.5° above pre-industrial levels.
So, in order to return CO2 levels in the atmosphere to pre-industrial levels, globally, scientists predict that up to 10 GtCO2 will need to be removed annually from the atmosphere by 2050, with an increased removal capacity of up to 20 GtCO2 per year by 2100.

Algae Power is a social enterprise that aims to provide an accessible alternative on CO2 biofixation and oxygen generation to mitigate climate change by using the photosynthesis of microalgae panels. Microalgae naturally execute photosynthesis a process in which they release oxygen, purify the air and sink and biofixate CO2 by turning it into biomass quickly. Our solution has 4 main applications, first companies investing in green assets with their net-zero budget or with carbon credits or taxes upon them, financing decentralised massive farms of microalgae panels installed in marginal land (Marginal or unusable land island that has little or no agricultural, industrial or housing value) second, home or business owners in developed countries that have a high-impact CO2 footprint, third, local government's introducing microalgae panels in public areas and transport and finally local small decentralized farms for communities in developing countries or with a low income. Only one microalgae panel of 1 square foot can sink up to 17 kilograms per day given that sunlight is available 9% of the day. My solution would work through an app, where you calculate your CO2 emissions and the necessary installation to "counter" your emissions, and then it would match you to installers in your area to proceed with the appliance of the panels in your home, business etc. The microalgae panels are made from microalgae called Chlorella Vulgaris on a BG11 or f/2 culture with a gelling agent (Sodium Alginate) similar to a solar panel, installed in a metallic base (Could even be 3D printed), with a perforated glass sheet on top. Since it's a nature-based solution, it's affordable and accessible to where it's needed the most. Our end goal is to mitigate and reduce the worst effects of climate change by helping to stabilize the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. 

My solution targets mostly companies investing in green assets with a net zero budget, homeowners in developed countries with a middle or upper-class income, and communities in developing countries or with a lower-class income. Each of these three target customers is addressed with our 3 plans they can choose from that are adequate to their specific financial situations and their CO2 emissions. We are also planning to partner with governmental authorities to also introduce these panels for public areas and buildings as well. Our micro-algae panels are not limited to roofs on a building! You can place them on walls, roofs, and open fields, and even transport, them anywhere where the sun is available at least 9% of the day, and then it's just actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere and generating oxygen, which increases the range of customers we can serve with our solution such as architectural firms, and construction companies. Since our solution is a sustainability project people are not directly impacted by our solution but rather benefited from our solution's effect on their environment. Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, The European Union, Japan, Kazakhstan, Poland, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, Ukraine, Norway and Estonia are only some of the countries that have already applied a Carbon Tax or Carbon Pricing system.

Currently, I'm the only member of the Algae Power team, I'm a 13-year-old senior high school student from Mexico, as well as an environmental activist for climate justice, and human rights besides being the founder and developer of Cuidando a Gaia and Algae Power. I think I'm well-positioned to deliver this solution since I have experience developing and launching projects on climate change and sustainability such as Cuidando a Gaia, an app of environmental education to empower children and youth for climate action and another biotech project that used vermicompost and biochar, as a method to restore eroded soils and as a CO2 sequestration strategy. I have been researching CO2 biofixation and sequestration strategies for several years so I'm quite immersed in the field but I'm well-educated on financial and business basics with a focus on social and environmental impact as well. I also have participated in several events both in a national and international context on climate change with different perspectives including technology and climate change, and the right of children and youth to a healthy environment such as the Phoenix Consultation of North America, COP27 and Google Cloud Next virtually through UN Live portals, which has given me the opportunity to connect with many experts on the matter and get the opinion of other peers in the field on my solution. I also happen to live in the state with the highest carbon tax in Latin America, Queretaro for 2023, with a $ 27 USD carbon tax, which I believe makes it the ideal place to launch my solution. 

Most of the time I have been developing this solution has been spent on desk research to know if it was actually a feasible product worth creating and developing, technical mentorship with experts to see if it would fulfil its purpose and market research to know if there was any similar product that already existed and where other's with similar solutions have failed before. I have researched CO2 sinking and biofixation alternatives for a long time, and also have had the fortune of being able to contact several industry leaders, that work on sustainability such as: 

Andrés Friedman: Co-founder and CEO of Solfium, a Canadian-Mexican solar panel company that manages and installs photovoltaic systems through an IT ecosystem that matches installers with clients and businesses. 

Ramón Bacre: Founder and CEO of Humica a biotech Mexican start-up on a mission to solve climate change by reviving ancient soil tech- Biochar and the founder of Mexican Biotechnology for Climate Change (BMCC) 

Alex Pressman: Founder and CEO of Waikatu, a company in New Zealand that makes organic fertilizer with a non-native invasive algae specie.

Photosynthesis is the most evident solution to climate change! (of course, while reducing our emissions to half by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050, following the guidelines on the IPCC reports) Photosynthesis has, since the beginning of the earth, been its regulatory system for carbon dioxide and oxygen, so, why not use it to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the purification of air by generating oxygen? Algae Power offers the possibility of countering emissions by actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere to do photosynthesis and transform it into biomass in a short period of time, by returning to the most simple, nature-based solutions we can mitigate climate change! 

The innovative part of Algae Power is that it's simple, efficient and nature-based, which makes it the perfect solution for stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They are also low-cost, easy and quick to install on already-built infrastructure. Unlike most plants that can only make photosynthesis on their leaves, algae can make photosynthesis in all of their tissues. Microalgae per area will produce 100 times more oxygen than trees will. Algae naturally absorb CO2 and release oxygen faster than any other photosynthetic organisms, and the panel growing system makes it possible to perform this process anywhere. Most average homes produce about 10 kilograms per cubic meter of CO2 a day, but only one square foot of micro-algae can sequester up to 17 kilograms per cubic meter in one day provided that solar energy is available 9% of the time. Other alternatives in the market also use microalgae and use more complex processes to take advantage of its energy production as well, but this also makes them much more expensive and unaffordable to middle and lower-income homeowners and small businesses.

Additionally, with land demand increasing globally for agriculture, urbanization, development, and natural preservation, where new decentralized microalgae farms can be located are carefully thought out. Marginal or unusable land is land that has little or no agricultural, industrial or housing value and often has poor soil, is low-quality land or has other undesirable characteristics, this includes but is not restricted to salinized areas, eroded soils, contaminated soils, degraded land, mining sites among others. Utilizing these sites is a logical step to maximize usage and mitigate land scarcity.

Cities account for over 70% of global CO2 emissions, most of which come from industrial and motorized transport systems
that use huge quantities of fossil fuels and rely on far-flung infrastructure constructed with carbon-intensive materials and a lot of theses cities are in developing countries. Currently, the cost of domestic biofixation and sequestration strategies far surpasses the budget of

middle or lower-class income and mostly targets greater buildings. Other alternatives in the market target only the public sector, or specific architectural or design projects, that need additional power to function and need additional infrastructure which of course, implies additional construction time and building expenses which cities cannot afford. Our solution is a compact, land-efficient, nature-based solution which makes it the ideal solution to the environmental challenges cities face such as air pollution and high CO2 emissions.  What makes us different from other options in the market is that our solution can be applied to already-built structures, its cost is affordable and does not require any additional infrastructure, or additional building costs and it can start functioning instantly after installation.  Additionally, our panels are visually pleasant and contribute towards literally

creating greener cities.

• Developing the final prototype and obtaining the patent
• Testing our product using artificial atmospheres in sealed chambers
• Find sustainable manufacturers to produce it.
• Develop the app. 
• After that, partner with at least 20 companies, 30 communities and 300 homes in my state. 
• Partner with the local government. 
• Install at least 2000 microalgae panels. 

Algae Power's microalgae panels are created from a species called Chlorella Vulgaris, microalgae that due to their size and composition, excel at a particular type of carbon removal method called bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). These microalgae serve as biophotoreactors cultured on a  medium such as BG11 or f/ 2 with a gelling agent (Sodium alginate) inside perforated glass panels or another breathable material built on a metal base, similar to a solar panel and would also have hydrogen carbonate indicators for photosynthesis. Since the panels are going to have a global implementation, their design is adaptable to most environments and weather-proof. The other technology aspect is the app that would calculate the CO2 emissions of your home or business, inform you of the amount of microalgae panels you'd need to counter its emissions and match you with local installers.

Since my solution hasn't been launched yet, I don't have a current estimate of how many people my solution serves. Still, in the following year after the development of the prototype, I obtain the patent for my product and found manufacturers, the goal would be to partner with at least 30 companies, 45 communities and 500 homes to start. Since my solution is a sustainability project, it doesn't directly impact people, but improves their environment and therefore impacts them, so they benefit from the results of its impacts on earth, consequently, we need the necessary policy to ensure its application is massive. 

Algae Power barriers to accomplishing our goals include: 

• Need for legal advice and funding to obtain a patent. 
• Need for funding for materials to develop the final prototype.
• Need for technical mentorship.
• Manufacturing.
• Need for a larger team. 
• Lack of awareness and/or policy in some places. 

For the time being, I have partnered with several industry leaders exclusively for mentorship, those being: 
Andrés Friedmann: Co-founder and CEO of Solfium, a Canadian-Mexican solar panel company that manages and installs photovoltaic systems.
Alex Pressman: Founder and CEO of Waikatu, a company in New Zealand that makes organic fertilizer with a nonnative invasive algae specie.
Ramón Bacre: MIT under 35 Innovator 2015, Founder and CEO of Humica a biotech Mexican start-up on a mission to solve climate change by reviving ancient soil tech- Biochar and BMCC, Mexican Biotechnology against Climate Change. 
Additionally, as an award winner of the Harvard Sustainability and Innovation competition, I received mentorship from several Harvard students and a micro-grant to fund my project. 
This took a considerably large amount of time, but I wanted to make sure of having a deep understanding of the problem I was trying to solve and it required the assistance and experience of experts in the matter. 

For example, picture you are a business or company owner. Your business is located in a country or state where there is a carbon tax or there's a policy for carbon credits and where you lose profit each year because of taxes imposed on your company or perhaps, as complying with the Paris Agreement or SDGs you have a net zero budget and you are looking to invest in green assets to counter your companies emissions but your only options are either to install a massive infrastructure in your company that takes an extended period of time to install and is incredibly expensive or investing in reforestation, a project for example that is going to take between 25 to 100 years to mature fully and assume their maximum CO2 fixation capacity and just as much time to store it permanently away. The global market for sequestration and fixation technologies was valued at 1.69 billion USD in 2020 and currently, there are few companies addressing this market with the sole purpose of carbon sequestration and biofixation, a demand which, as climate policies and legislations get increasingly rigorous, will increase tremendously. Realistically, most companies aren't open to the perspective of achieving net zero targets or are even compromised to fully achieving them, which is absolutely suboptimal but could possibly be countered with the solution I'm proposing and benefit the industry and economy to achieve sustainability without the previously inevitable impacts on earth and most affected people and groups. The global carbon capture and sequestration market are projected to grow from $2.01 billion in 2021 to $7.00 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 19.5%, a market composed mainly of both local and national government institutions such as the Department of Energy of USA that has already invested 7 billion USD in Researching algae Technologies and market majors such as Total, Shell and Equinor. Different governments have already introduced strict action plans to stabilize climate change and overall diminish the impact of carbon emissions, The U.S. has the largest number of carbon capture and storage projects with 34 planned projects as of 2022. Moreover, in the recent past, the U.S. government started providing loans up to 80% of the cost for nascent stage CCS projects through the department of energy. Companies and governments have launched more than 40 carbon capture projects since 2018, with 10 announced in only the first half of 2021 and yet a solution that addresses the carbon sequestration and biofixation of the emissions of both the industrial and civil sectors like Algae Power, is yet to appear. 

We will be selling both products and services at the beginning since we will be selling both the microalgae panels and installation services (Including the on-site research on marginal lands decentralized mass farms) and service contracts to governments as well, addressing the public areas sector we are also targeting. The initial investment would account for the materials to develop the final prototype and produce an initial batch, testing installations, assembling the team necessary to launch the solution and begin partnering with larger companies and the local government.