Ocean Earth

Ocean Earth

USA

Water-Cycle Self-Reliance 2008

photo-documentation, rig, video

Courtesy of the artists
Concept and fabrication: Peter Fend
Editing and coordination: Eve Vaterlaus
Photography: Erasmo Macaya, Alejandro Perez Matus

Peter Fend founded the Ocean Earth Construction and Development Corporation in 1980. Seeking a synthesis of art and science, he assembled artists, architects, and scientists with the aim of researching alternative energy sources.

Ocean Earth foresees algae as a viable energy source for the future. Bladder kelp is the fastest growing plant on Earth and, at 71%, has the highest conversion rate of plant weight to methane gas.

The artwork demonstrates how efficiently a natural strand of algae can be converted into methane gas.