Algae growing

A piece on the BBC News about the farm growing edible algae which I have mentioned before.

It's located just across from Hellisheidi power plant, where you can buy some of their products.

Iceland's Vaxa Technologies has developed a system that harnesses energy and other resources from the nearby power plant to cultivate these tiny aquatic organisms.

“It's a new way of thinking about food production,” says general manager Kristinn Haflidason as he gives me a tour of the space-age facility.

For much of our history, humans have consumed seaweed, also known as macroalgae.

But its tiny relative, microalgae has been a less common food source, although it was eaten for centuries in ancient Central America and Africa.

Now scientists and entrepreneurs are increasingly exploring its potential as a nutrition-rich, sustainable food.

About 35 minutes from the capital Reykjavik, the Vaxa site produces the microalgae Nannochloropsis, both as food for people, and for feed in fish and shrimp farming.

It also grows a type of bacteria called Arthospira, also known as blue-green algae, as it shares similar properties with microalgae.

When dried out it is known as spirulina and is used as a dietary supplement, a food ingredient, and as a bright-blue food colouring.