We are pleased to highlight yet another project that was submitted and shortlisted for presentation during the Innovation and Technology Challenge at the T&T Energy Conference 2025: Rum and Sargassum Inc’s ‘Generation of Sargassum-Based Biofuel for Sustainable Low-Carbon Transportation in the Caribbean’. It’s always exciting to attract projects from outside of T&T, and this project is particularly relevant to the sector’s continued drive toward sustainable sources of energy and particularly fuel for transport.

The pioneering project led by Dr. Legena Henry, a lecturer in Renewable Energy at UWI’s Cave Hill campus, has successfully utilized the sargassum seaweed which in recent times has started washing up on shores across the region, to produce renewable biogas when combined with rum distillery wastewater. The result is an innovative biofuel which provides a sustainable, cost-effective energy alternative, reducing dependency on imported fossil fuels. According to Rum and Sargassum Inc., “It is a pioneering market solution with a novel biogas formula, applicable for direct integration into conventional gasoline vehicles through CNG kits. The project’s approach repurposes abundant local waste, utilising patented anaerobic digestion techniques validated with over 400,000 data points.’

Its application for the energy sector comes at a critical time, supplying a renewable alternative that reduces dependence on petrochemical fuels and lowers carbon emissions. It powers gasoline vehicles through CNG conversion and can also generate electricity. The team at Rum and Sargassum have successfully demonstrated this application by using a biogas-fuelled generator to charge an electric vehicle, highlighting its versatility and energy efficiency. It also brings the region one step closer to ‘regional energy independence and resilience, aligning with the Caribbean’s transition goals in transportation and renewable power sectors.’

Rum and Sargassum have proposed that this one solution can assist in resolving three primary challenges faced across the region: high transportation fuel costs, heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, and environmental impacts from sargassum seaweed.

Utilising local waste resources to create this bio-fuel translates into reduced fuel expenses by 50% for consumers and cuts carbon emissions in transportation. Additionally, it utilises sargassum that would otherwise harm coastal ecosystems, repurposing it into renewable energy while alleviating waste management pressures.

While Rum and Sargassum is initially looking at the impact this can have on the Caribbean market, with over three million registered vehicles, there are plans to expand to larger markets, including Florida. Their business model supports scaling through increased biogas production and widespread CNG kit installations, adaptable to various vehicle types.

The team at Rum and Sargassum has successfully validated the technology in laboratory tests at the University of the West Indies and the University of San Diego and it was publicly demonstrated at "Test Drive Zero" and at the EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference, where vehicles powered by this biogas completed successful test drives, confirming its functionality and efficiency. These results underscore its viability as an alternative fuel.

Rum and Sargassum Inc. have verified that the impact for the environment and the end user makes the technology very compelling as it can:

• Provide a 50% cost reduction in fuel expenses for consumers.

• Generate revenue: Scalable production offers revenue from biogas sales and CNG conversions, with potential for export to regions experiencing sargassum problems.

• Safety & Environmental Performance: By diverting sargassum and wastewater from the environment, it improves coastal health and air quality, reducing fossil fuel reliance and associated emissions.

The Energy Chamber is pleased to have had Dr. Legena Henry present this innovative and very exciting project at the T&T Energy Conference 2025 and look forward to updates on how this project continues to contribute to the region’s thrust towards the adoption of sustainable energy sources for transport.