CDL Application


Problem:
Ever increasing global carbon dioxide emissions (>37 gigatons annually) threaten life on Earth.  Rising temperatures, shifting climate patterns, weather anomalies and deteriorating water quality from pollution, nutrient overloading are driving coastal and ocean ecosystems into a death spiral and agriculture/aquaculture into collapse. Food security is increasingly unsustainable and uncertain.

Elevator pitch:
Our venture is built around Shellevator (shellfish elevator); an ocean-based solution for a sustainable food supply that incidentally transfers CO2 into the long-term carbon cycle as calcium carbonate in oyster shells.   Shellevator is a mobile submersible aquaculture apparatus and method that automates oyster production at scale in three dimensions increasing yields by orders of magnitude and a novel agricultural to seamlessly relocate in mass for optimal growth, quality, seafood safety, security, survival and processing efficiency. Our IP controls Shellevator ascent and descent through the water column by sequentially 

Product description:
Shellevator is a scalable, portable and submersible aquaculture apparatus and pneumatic method that controls ascent and descent of aquatic crops throughout the water column that automates labor intensive husbandry practices.

Customer:
The initial customers are current oyster farmers, commercial fishermen struggling from collapsing fisheries stocks and coastal residents seeking to create a business to supplement family income or restore local coastal ecosystem.

Value proposition:
Demonstrated advantages of Shellevators™ over manual gear:
In mass automation of aquaculture operations that eliminates most labor
Seamless mobility to improve growth, survival and escape harm
Yields increased >10-fold
Unit scale increased 50-fold
Greater durability
Resilient to storms
Energy savings

What differentiates from competition:
Seamless mobility in mass at scale can transform the food supply paradigm by unleashing agriculture from the farm to a sustainable herding model to optimize production (Greener Pastures) and escape harm (Safe Harbors).  In the CDR space, Shellevator™ is the only solution that provides a sustainable food source and intrinsically transfers CO2 into the long-term carbon cycle by shell formation as a by-product without additional costs or emissions. 

Size of opportunity:
The opportunity is multifaceted and the magnitude indeterminant. Mass production of inexpensive models with 1-10 tons capacity that fit on boat trailers and with demonstrated performance in coastal waters 1-3 meters depth is the immediate opportunity to expand participation in a sustainable food supply CDR to the masses globally. The gigaton CDR opportunity is farming the sea in three dimensions with autonomous Shellevators™ on the scale of ocean going ships (Megavators) that generate energy for propulsion, cargo transfer and other aquaculture operation.

Core technology description:
Shellevator™ replaces most back-breaking heavy lifting oyster aquaculture operations with your fingers. Simply open valves on a manifold that connects lift tanks under the oyster gear to a compressed air source. Compressed air pushes water out of exhaust ports at the bottom rear of lift tanks. Shellevator™ rises effortlessly by the bow emerging oysters above the sea surface in seconds. Closing the valves holds air in the lift tanks and keeps the Shellevator™ floating; desiccation accomplished without getting wet or touching oysters-gear! This easy access above the sea surface also facilitates other operations such as density reductions and harvesting. When it’s time to return to the grow position, the valves are opened. Air in the lift tanks exhaust through the manifold into the atmosphere allowing water to flow in through the exhaust ports. This simple patented method sinks Shellevator™ stern first assuring complete air evacuation. Shellevator™ has no submerged moving parts to break and provides unparalleled reliability.  Numerous prototypes for oyster aquaculture have been deployed and operated since 2017 in along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.  

* In what specific dimension is your technology able to outperform the competition?
Pneumatic automation