January 2025 Edition
A monthly round-up of news and trends important to the AltaSea community.
AltaSea Community Spotlight
By Daniel P. Smith
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Progress has been made on the San Pedro waterfront revitalization project. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News.
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Canadian company Voltari recently unveiled a new all-electric patrol boat designed for military and law enforcement use.
The Patrol 26 RIB, which features a carbon-fiber rib hull and sits at 28 feet and two inches long, is designed to fulfill the military’s near-shore search-and-rescue, security and patrol needs, as well as deliver enhanced performance with zero noise pollution and emissions, a company press release stated.
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As the global energy landscape evolves, investors must assess the stability of traditional fossil fuels against the growth potential of renewable energy and advanced nuclear technologies. Some experts highlight a rising global backlash against renewables, as increasing evidence in Europe and elsewhere raises questions about long-term profitability and sustainability without government largesse. Others argue that addressing climate change is non-negotiable, making renewables a safe investment.
EcoWave Power saw more explosive growth than its renewable counterparts, rising an extreme 628.48%.
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The Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today that it is recommending The Continuum, which includes AltaSea anchor tenant Braid Theory, will receive $13.9 million to help bring to market solutions that will grow the blue economy, while strengthening coastal resilience.
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Upcoming Events
Join us at 10:00 AM Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, for an exciting Open House event at AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.
Arevon is one of America’s leading independent power producers committed to supplying solar energy and energy storage solutions that is not only good for the planet but also affordable, safe, and socially responsible.
This is a great opportunity for students of all ages to learn about ocean-based careers that turn to the ocean to develop solutions for some of the planet’s most pressing challenges, such as climate change, energy supply, and global food security.
Marine Science
Researchers are investigating an innovative carbon capture model in fish farms that could help to mitigate climate change. A recent study published in Nature Food highlights how low-oxygen aquatic environments, like fish farms, could be leveraged to capture CO2 efficiently and cost-effectively.
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For more than 20 years, NASA instruments in space have tracked a growing imbalance in Earth’s solar energy budget, with more energy entering than leaving the planet. Much of that imbalance can be pinned on humanity’s greenhouse gases emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere. But explaining the rest has been a challenge.
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As the fourth Women in Ocean Food innovation studio kicks off in Mexico, we take a look at the 11 female-led seafood companies that are taking part.
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Sustainable and Innovative Business
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has allocated $800,000 for eight projects designed to advance hydropower and marine energy innovation across the U.S. to foster entrepreneurship, streamline commercialization, and support small business growth in the water power sector.
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The blue economy has experienced a surge in investment momentum in recent years. Annual venture capital (VC) funding allocated to this space has grown almost 300% in the last five years – a faster rate than almost any other sector, including climate and deep tech.
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Woodinville, Wash.-based clean tech startup Modern Hydrogen raised $25 million in new funding.
The company confirmed the new investment after GeekWire spotted a regulatory filing. Existing and new investors participated in the latest round.
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The oceans have long served as our planet’s silent protector, absorbing the brunt of climate change’s impacts. They’ve taken in 90% of the excess heat from greenhouse gases, buffering us from even more extreme temperature increases.
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Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Yale University say their approach could capture more than 100 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
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Education
The LA fires are burning in the swath of the extreme rainfall from atmospheric rivers (ARs) that fell there last January, which means there is an abundance of grasses and other fuels. And if high-intensity precipitation makes landfall, it will likely produce debris flows when they bring torrential rains to burn scarred landscapes.
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The ocean, an enigmatic expanse covering more than 70% of our planet’s surface, is home to a dizzying array of life forms. From the microscopic plankton that drift through sunlit waters to the leviathan whales that traverse the ocean’s vastness, the diversity of marine life is staggering.
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Hopeful developments this past year include advancing innovations in mapping technologies, legal strategies and financial instruments to protect the ocean and greater inclusion of Indigenous peoples and coastal communities into high-level ocean planning.