Already on the map for its oceanographic research, Hawaii is attracting firms developing new drugs and energy sources
any
potential new medicines, foods and energy sources have been developed
in Hawaii, making
it a leading centre for oceanographic research.
The islands’ worldwide reputation rests on their most valuable
natural resource – the surrounding pure waters, which are an ideal
habitat for marine plants and animals, helped by the year-round sunny
climate.
In 1974 the state established the non-profit Natural
Energy Laboratory of Hawaii (NELHA). Keahole Point on the Big Island
of Hawaii was chosen for the location of the lab, which would develop
ocean thermal-energy conversion (OTEC) and related technologies.
By
1979, the laboratory had produced the world’s first OTEC power,
bringing worldwide recognition to Keahole. A year later, the Seacoast
Test Facility was established as a joint project between the state and
the US Department of Energy in order to continue research into OTEC
and begin aquaculture experiments. The first of many commercial aquaculture
ventures began with deep-sea water-pumping in 1982.
In 1986, the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology park (HOST), a project
of the state’s High Technology Development Corporation, was created
alongside the laboratory. Its role was to commercialise the newly-developed
technologies.
HOST and the laboratory were merged into the Natural Energy Laboratory
of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) in 1990. The authority has been host to
dozens of projects (at present there are 30 firms there), contributing
more than $30 million annually to the economy.
New
pipelines, which will bring cold deep-sea water and warm surface water
for aquaculture, energy projects and air conditioning in the HOST park,
are due to be completed this year. Energy is derived from utilising
the temperature difference (called delta T) between the two types of
water.
NELHA’s tenants include the Big Island Abalone Corporation, which
uses a unique culture system; Coast Seafoods Company, the largest oyster
company in the US; and Black Pearls, which has developed hatchery technology
for valuable black-lip and gold-lip cultured pearl oysters.
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Other
firms are involved in shrimp production, research into marine algae
for a variety of applications, giant clams, ornamental fish, edible
sea vegetables, lobsters, and a breed of flounder highly prized by the
Japanese for sashimi.
NELHA executive director Jeff Smith
says: “Companies will typically come in for one to three years,
and we will give them a site and everything they need to get going.”
He says they are seeking ways to offset the cost of development and
become self-sufficient. These plans extend to charging for a tour of
the facilities.
“As our companies start to make a profit, we will start seeing
a return of a two per cent share,” says Mr Smith. “Successful
companies such as Cyanotech and Aquasearch are doing well and have benefited
from our facilities.
“The
research that Aquasearch is doing with algae has very exciting implications
for cancer. I would love to see that become a success as I’d love
to think that our waters and sunshine could do something to change the
world. We are going to start seeing Hawaii as the base for many new
products,” he adds.
Aquasearch is a world leader in photo-bioreactor technology, a technique
that unlocks the potential of microscopic plants. Multi-billion-dollar
industries for bacteria and yeast depend on bioreactors, or industrial
fermenters.
Microalgae are the fastest-growing plants on earth, typically doubling
their weight once a day, and they are easy to process with commercially
available technology. Aquasearch’s first major product was a dietary
supplement, rich in an anti-oxidant and developed from microalgae.
Projects contribute $30 million a year to the economy
Aquasearch
founder and chief executive Dr Mark Huntley says: “Very few of
the estimated 30,000 species of micro-algae have been tested for compounds
of pharmaceutical interest. But
even those that have been tested have produced compounds with activity
in models of cancer, HIV and degenerative diseases.
“We are actively engaged in the process of developing new drugs
from microalgae. Our first strategic alliance partner is Enzymed, whose
powerful technology can produce hundreds of unique compounds from a
single molecule,” says Huntley.
“Applied to bio-active molecules, this process makes it possible
to create prop-rietary compounds with improved safety and efficacy.”
Kelly Moorhead, vice-president of marketing at Cyanotech, which has
also produced several dietary supplements, says the firm has as a goal
of “harnessing the immense power of microalgae”.
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