Pond Technologies' Proprietary Algae Platform Could Help Multiple Industries Turn Emissions into Revenue Streams

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

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Even with political momentum building, analysts estimate that a complete transition away from fossil fuels will take anywhere from 30 to 100 years. With the effects of the climate crisis intensifying, however, nations may decide to move toward net-zero emissions much sooner than that. This urgency has led to a focus on offsetting strategies, which range from reforestation to elaborate carbon capture technology. 

Earlier this year Tesla TSLA CEO Elon Musk issued a carbon removal challenge, but maybe he should be paying attention to Pond Technologies, Inc. PNDHF, who entered the Carbon XPrize. Pond Tech offers a simple and direct solution: algae. 

The proprietary algae-growing platforms that Pond has developed connect directly to a power plant or factory smokestacks to redirect those emissions into uniquely designed containers. This is where carbon dioxide and other gasses are absorbed by algae and then released out as clean, oxygen-rich air. Here’s how it’s being used to create greener, more sustainable solutions across multiple sectors.

A Sustainable, More Nutritious Alternative to Animal Feed for Agriculture Sector

Reducing emissions isn’t all Pond’s algae is good for. The algae grown can be turned into a nutrient-dense feed for fish farms. By supporting fish farms and reducing the need for unsustainably produced fish-based fishmeal, the algae is also helping to reduce fishing pressure on our oceans. 

More recently, Pond signed an agreement with Livalta, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods ASBFY to produce a commercial algae-based animal feed to feed livestock. With 33% of agricultural land currently used to produce feed for livestock and the growing demand for farmable land contributing to 80% of deforestation, the need for a less resource-intensive and more nutritious source of animal feed is urgent. 

Businesses in the agricultural and food processing sectors have long been interested in algae as a potential replacement for corn and soy-based feeds because it offers a more complete nutritional profile, including higher protein and a wider variety of vitamins and minerals. However, growing it affordably and at scale have been the key roadblocks to the widespread adoption of algae-based feeds.

With the Pond platform, the commercial-sized plant planned with Livalta will produce 20,000 tons of nutrient-rich algae per year in what could become the first commercial-scale operation to make algae an affordable enough ingredient for animal feed. 

A Variety of Antioxidant and Protein-Rich Products for Nutraceutical Sector

Because Pond’s platform relies on enclosed containers rather than open-pond grow systems, the algae that grows inside is much easier to keep clean and contamination-free, making it an ideal source of nutrient-rich ingredients for use in a wide range of health and wellness supplements. 

Pond grows a variety of strains, tailored to meet specific nutritional profiles, including one that’s rich in astaxanthin, the most potent antioxidant known to scientists, and a safe, natural way to preserve oil-based products like Omega 3 fish oils, CBD oils.

With each carbon capture algae platform that Pond builds, the potential to harvest those algae for use in pharmaceuticals, supplements, food and beverage products, and animal feed create a variety of revenue-generating opportunities — all while consistently sequestering thousands of tons of emissions each year and offering more sustainable alternatives to existing products on the market. 

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.