Detroit Startup Receives Grant to Further Develop Eco-Friendly Marine Coating
DETROIT – Repela Tech LLC, a Detroit-based sustainability tech startup from Wayne State University, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II grant totaling $993,788 for research and development on a patent-pending (WSU Tech ID 20-1601), first-of-a-kind, safe antifouling marine coating. The project, “STTR Phase II: The Next Generation of Environmentally Friendly Coatings for Marine Antifouling,” will further develop a novel non-toxic antifoulant that keeps the hulls of marine vessels clear of biofouling without the environmental harm.
Biofouling can cause major issues, such as drag, which slows down water vessels and increases fuel consumption by as much as 40%. For the global shipping industry, this increase imposes an additional annual fuel cost of $36 billion. This excess fuel consumption adds 386 million tons of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. The university reports that more than than 90% of antifoulants in the market today contain copper, a toxic biocide harmful to the marine ecosystem. Repela’s project will develop a competitive antifoulant that avoids harmful environmental impacts.