Power to the Reef

The Gili Eco Trust has been replenishing coral reefs in Gili Matra marine park in Lombok, Indonesia, by using different restorative methods of coral gardening, coral propagation and the Biorock reef restoration technology.

Biorocks especially, have shown remarkable success in restoring damaged coral reefs and have proven great resilience to temperature stresses and global warming. Biorock technology enhances coral growth up to 8 times and was the driving point of survival to our reefs in the 2016 mass bleaching event, which we predict won’t be the last mass warming event of its kind in the face of climate change.

Gili Eco Trust’s  Biorocks use a low voltage electricity supplied from the main grid or solar panels. Their mission was to find a renewable ocean energy supply to power these artificial reefs sustainably. Then, they can utilize marine currents to provide electricity to Biorocks, making the technology completely renewable and replicable everywhere, even in remote places.

In 2020, the Gili Eco Trust founded a partnership with a UK-Canadian tech startup: AquaGen (formerly known as Dynorotor). Designing an ocean turbine uniquely for Biorock technology and in 2021 they won a grant from EOCA (European Outdoor Conservation Association) allowing us to install in November 2023, a large coral restoration project with Spencer Arnold, artist and underwater welder from Conservation Diver.

This coral installation will restore a huge section of damaged reef in Gili Trawangan, whilst running off-grid, giving the chance of being replicated in remote areas. It will raise awareness to millions of people through scuba-diving and eco-tourism and aims to replenish fish stocks by restoring previously destroyed ecosystems.

More info: www.giliecotrust.com

T E A M :

Claudia Schmitt
Hendrik S. Schmitt
Lukas Eichenauer