Construction begins at Louth Bay

MITCHELL PATERSON

CH4 Global started construction on a full-

Once completed later this year, the Louth Bay EcoPark will sustainably grow methane-reducing asparagopsis at scale, enough to supply up to 30,000 cattle per day in Australia and overseas.

Asparagopsis, which is a red seaweed native to South Australia, drastically reduces methane emissions from cows by up to 90 per cent.

Located 23km from Port Lincoln, the EcoPark will enable end-to-end production, with low-impact, cost-effective growing and processing of asparagopsis seaweed, and conversion into CH4 Global's Methane Tamer line of products to be fed to cattle and other ruminants. Speaking at the sod-turning on Tuesday, CH4 Global founder and chief executive Dr. Steve Meller said the commercial facility would enable the scalable propagation of asparagopsis to meet the needs of feedlots, and to start bending the climate curve.

"CH4 Global has committed to eliminating one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and reach 150 million cattle by 2030 through our local and international partnerships with feedlots and farmers," he said.

"The Louth Bay EcoPark is an essential step for us along that journey as we scale up our operations."

The Louth Bay site will include a seedling hatchery, patented in-land growing approach for asparagopsis, and harvesting and drying technology.

Dr. Meller said building the EcoPark at scale Eyre Peninsula EcoPark this week from which it will grow and process asparagopsis seaweed.

Flinders MP Sam Telfer said this was a positive for Eyre Peninsula.

"The upside for the southern Eyre Peninsula is obviously jobs growth, and adverse economic opportunities, and the opportunity this brings for the state, the country and the world is an exciting one, and for South Australia and specifically the Eyre Peninsula to be at that cutting edge is also exciting," he said.

Federal Grey MP Rowan Ramsey added that CH4 Global had "great confidence" and that is why it had got investors involved in the project.

"What we do know is that it is the first of its kind in the world, and of course, it has its inherited dangers, but if you don't try, you'll never know," he said.

"The signs are good. [In] five, 10 years we'll know if it's a huge success or not."

Mr. Ramsey was pleased the investment was being made in South Australia and on Eyre Peninsula.

"I think investors with that kind of vision need a pat on the back, the fact that it is happening here in South Australia, in Australia and on Eyre Peninsula - there will be an initial investment here of $20 million."

Dr. Mellor said the idea in time was to expand along the coast from Port Lincoln to Arno Bay.

"We will have a number of sites that are ideal for the water, the land use and all of the processing of the seaweed will be done inland at one central location."