Seatrec, a startup that develops clean and renewable power for ocean research and commerce, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The University of Southern Mississippi’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise. The MOU aims to improve hurricane rapid-intensification forecasting and monitor the critically endangered Rice’s whales in the Gulf of Mexico. Seatrec’s infiniTE™ floats will be deployed, each customized for different missions using the system’s modular design and clean, renewable power technology that harvests electricity from the ocean’s temperature differences. One type of float will feature a suite of instruments to track water temperatures and other data that contribute to the rapid intensification of hurricanes. The second type of float will operate with a passive acoustic hydrophone to monitor the endangered Rice’s whales. The MOU follows Seatrec’s completion of the Gulf Blue Navigator program, which helps scale blue technology startups. The program aims to help entrepreneurs and startups develop solutions to global challenges by connecting them to university research scientists. Seatrec’s energy harvesting system uses phase change materials to harness energy from temperature differences between the ocean’s depths.
Effective Hurricane Forecasting is crucial in reducing the economic losses caused by major storms and hurricanes, which are estimated to be around $54B annually. Traditional floats (commonly known as Argo) can only profile once every 10 days, which is insufficient to measure the intensification of storms that can surge in as little as 24 hours. However, Seatrec’s infiniTE™ floats can sample as frequently as three times per day, providing 30x more data than the standard Argo floats, enabling a better understanding of the rapid intensification of these storms.
Human noise pollution adversely affects various marine organisms, including marine mammals. To quantify the impact of these noises on marine mammals, hydrophones are required. Seatrec’s infiniTE™ floats, equipped with hydrophones, provide an affordable and self-sustaining platform for gathering soundscape data at varying depths for years at a time. This data is essential in monitoring and protecting the well-being of marine mammals.
Seatrec‘s headquarters are located in Vista, California, while a satellite office provided by the Gulf Blue Navigator program will be established in the Gulf of Mexico to support MOU missions. This long-term presence will ensure Seatrec’s continued commitment to its vital work in the region.
