jfid – Prabowo Subianto, the presidential candidate number 2, recently proposed to replace fuel with seaweed.
According to him, seaweed has the potential as a renewable energy source that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
In addition, seaweed can also be used as fertilizer and raw material for industry.
“Seaweed can be used as a substitute for fertilizer, seaweed can be made into fuel. Seaweed is amazing.
And the industry is also not expensive,” Prabowo said in the event “Dialog Capres Bersama KADIN: Towards Golden Indonesia 2045”, which was held by one of the television stations.
However, does Prabowo’s proposal have a scientific basis and not damage the marine ecosystem?
here are some facts and analysis that can answer that question:
- Seaweed is a plant that has a thallus shape with all parts of its body like stems and has a number of important parts to survive. Seaweed consists of four classes with different colors, namely blue-green algae, red algae, brown algae, and green algae.
- Seaweed has a fairly high nutrient content, including calories, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fat, vitamins, minerals, and iron. Seaweed also contains carrageenan and agarose compounds, which can be used as bio-based chemicals.
- Seaweed can be converted into fuel by processing marine biomass into bioethanol, biodiesel, or biogas. The conversion process has technical challenges, but research continues to improve the efficiency and sustainability of this method.
- Seaweed is a third-generation biomass or biomass that is not food. Seaweed can grow in various environments, including fresh water, salt water, and urban wastewater. Seaweed growth is relatively fast and can be harvested in six weeks. Its carbohydrate content is also high, reaching 84 percent. In addition, there is no lignin content in red seaweed, making it easy to decompose.
- Seaweed has benefits for environmental sustainability, such as absorbing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, providing habitat for various marine life, reducing pollution, and preventing coastal erosion.
- Seaweed also has negative impacts on the marine ecosystem, such as disrupting the balance of nutrients, causing invasion of foreign species, reducing sunlight, and causing unpleasant odors. These negative impacts can occur if seaweed cultivation is done excessively, uncontrolled, and does not pay attention to environmental aspects.
From the facts and analysis above, it can be concluded that Prabowo’s proposal to replace fuel with seaweed has a scientific basis, but also has risks for the marine ecosystem.
Therefore, further studies and strict regulations are needed to realize the proposal in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
