Objective
EchoGreen is an innovative photoacoustics based instrument designed to determine the health status of aquatic plants and corals in response to environmental change and stress. The method is very sensitive to changes in the efficiency of photosynthesis of alga or other aquatic plants. It represents a new class, hitherto unavailable, of laboratory and handheld submersible instruments. EchoGreen’s novel technology was invented to enable the activities of the ERC funded CoralWarm because no other technology could reliably and accurately evaluate the effects of ocean warming and acidification on the future of corals and coral reefs.
EchoGreen will enable timely detection of the deterioration of reef communities and the destabilization of any marine and aquatic ecosystems. The wellness of coral reefs is crucial for sustaining tourism, fishing and human activity in more than 50 tropical countries. EchoGreen is also most suited for early warning of contamination-caused deterioration of drinking water in lakes, rivers and reservoirs by following the health status of aquatic plants. By using EchoGreen, the algal conversion of solar energy into biofuel can be optimized, and so can algal culturing for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.
The proposed project includes activities aiming at bringing EchoGreen to the market. Commercialisation activities include market analysis, financial and business planning, legal workup, IPR protection and contracting with manufacturers and investors. The project also covers the finalisation of the development of a submersible prototype, a user friendly interface, and testing and validation.
This innovative technology embedded in EchoGreen will find a market with coastal authorities responsible for monitoring of algal and coral populations, marine labs and nature reserves, water supply authorities, industry mass culturing algae for the production of biodiesel and fine chemicals, and installations based on high-rate-algal sewage treatment system
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processesdrinking water treatment processes
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycology
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbotany
Call for proposal
ERC-2011-PoC
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Funding Scheme
CSA-SA(POC) - Supporting action (Proof of Concept)Host institution
52900 Ramat Gan
Israel