Extraction Economics Calculator

Example values. Replace them with your own numbers.

All monetary figures are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

Model the economics of extracting one or more bioactive compounds from seaweed biomass. Toggle stages on and off to compare single-product vs. multi-product biorefinery scenarios.

Before you start

This calculator models a multi-product biorefinery where the same batch of biomass yields alginate, fucoidan, and laminarin in sequential extraction steps, each stage working on the residue left by the previous one. Defaults are illustrative starting points, not measured BC results. Replace them with your own lab yields and costs.

A: Biomass Input

Wet biomass input per year (kg)?Biomass cost per kg wet (CAD)?1.83 CAD/kg · wet at dock · Illustrative scenario · Scenario assumptionWet-to-dry ratio (e.g. 0.10 = 10 kg wet → 1 kg dry)?Pre-processing cost per kg dry (CAD)?

B: Extraction Stages

Each stage extracts from the residue left by the previous one. Fucoidan and laminarin yields are entered as % of residue at that stage, effective % of original dry biomass is shown in the results panel.

Stage 1: Alginateextracted from dry biomass

Yield (% of dry weight)?Extraction cost per kg alginate (CAD)?Selling price per kg alginate (CAD)?20 to 60 /kg · dried shelf stable · General · Kelp Fest Halifax, June 2026 (presentation)Purity grade you are pricing (%)?Recorded in your report. It does not change the math, so make the selling price match this grade.

Output: 150 kg alginate/year @ 85% purity

Turn these on to see how high value fractions change the economics. Enter your own yield and price.

Harvest timing matters. Spring harvests are low in laminarin and fucoidan.

Stage 2: Fucoidanfrom residue after Stage 1

Stage 3: Laminarinfrom residue after Stage 2

Spent biomass (final residue)always on

Selling price per kg (e.g. fertilizer/compost) (CAD)?

C: Annual Fixed Costs

Labour (annual $)?Facility and lab (annual $)?Energy (annual $)?Certification and testing (annual $)?Insurance (annual $)?Waste disposal (annual $)?Equipment CAPEX (CAD)?Equipment lifespan (years)?Equipment maintenance (% of CAPEX/year)?

Maintenance: $4,500.00/yr · Total fixed: $94,500.00/yr

D: Logistics and Packaging

Applied to extracted products only (alginate, fucoidan, laminarin). Not applied to spent biomass, which moves in bulk at negligible logistics cost.

Packaging cost per kg output (CAD)?Shipping cost per kg output (CAD)?

Total logistics: $112.50/yr on 150.00 kg extracted output

ℹ

Seeing a red loss? The defaults reflect a realistic small-scale single-product operation. The calculator is designed to surface what needs to change, yield, biomass cost, selling price, or additional extraction stages, rather than starting green. Use the contribution margin below as your primary diagnostic.

Contribution Margin per kg Wet Biomass?

-$1.83/kg wet

Revenue per kg wet$0.39

Variable cost per kg wet$2.21

Each kilogram loses money before fixed costs. Fix that before scaling (this is your unit economics). Adding biomass volume amplifies the loss.

Net Profit / Loss?

-$112,752.50

1 active stage · -2,921.05% margin

Break-even Volume?

Not achievable while each kilogram loses money

Resolve the contribution margin first. No volume of biomass covers a negative per-unit loss.

Maximum Allowable Biomass Cost?

-$9.52/kg wet

Target margin:%

Current biomass cost ($1.83/kg) exceeds this ceiling. Reduce other costs or increase selling prices.

Revenue breakdown

Alginate150.00 kg · 85% purity$3,750.00

Spent biomass1,100.00 kg$110.00

Total Revenue$3,860.00

Dry Biomass?

1,250.00 kg

Raw Material Cost?

$18,300.00

Logistics Cost?

$112.50

Total Variable Cost?

$22,112.50

Total Fixed Cost?

$94,500.00

Total Annual Cost?

$116,612.50

Profit Margin?

-2,921.05%

All-in Cost / kg Alginate (fully allocated)?

$777.42

Required Selling Price / kg (alginate)?

$776.68

Byproduct revenue credit (spent biomass)?

$110.00

System break-even revenue?

$116,612.50

The starting values are examples, not published figures or measured BC results. Replace them with your own lab data and quotes. The equipment value covers extraction equipment only; building work, permits, commissioning and money to cover costs until you are paid come on top.

See what buyers check for each product: alginate, fucoidan and laminarin specifications in the Product Specifications Library.

Why the processing sequence matters: in a 2026 sugar kelp study, most of a high-value pigment came out in a later step, not the one designed to capture it. Read the note →

Planning a processing facility? Processing Facility Guide →