A STUDY involving seaweed washed up at Dunbar has been delayed – due to a lack of seaweed!

Earlier this year, it was announced a project could be created to use the seaweed from the town’s East Beach and turn it into a renewable bio-fuel.

On average, 500 tonnes of seaweed are cast up on the beach each year.

However, Cian McHugh, who lives near the beach and is involved the project, revealed there was a stumbling block.

He said: “There has been very little progress unfortunately and that is down entirely to a shortage of seaweed.

“We’ve set up to solve a problem, which temporarily does not exist.

“It’s down to the good weather but an easterly gale will solve that.” As the seaweed decomposes, it generates not only a foul smell but also provides a breeding ground for swarms of sandflies and is unsightly.

Dunbar Shore and Harbour Neighbourhood Group (DSHNG), Dr Alastair Sutherland, of Glasgow Caledonian University, and Dunbar Marine Resources Ltd are involved in plans to look into the possibility of using the seaweed as a raw material for an anaerobic digester.

Tests have already been carried out on small quantities – between 15 and 20 kilogramme bags – of seaweed.

However, further testing is required with quantities of seaweed totalling one tonne.

Previously, Mr McHugh said: “Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a continuous process – you cannot stop it or the whole thing grinds to a halt.

“You have got to have a continuous supply of seaweed but it only comes in once or twice a year.” AD is a long-established method of producing methane bio-fuel from a feedstock which is then used to generate heat and power or as a transport fuel.

It takes place in sealed containers so that there is no smell or release of methane gas.