Posted on July 15, 2026
Biorock Technology uses low voltage in the sea to form limestone on metal structures, accelerate corals, and reduce coastal erosion.
One of the most unusual solutions against coastal erosion doesn’t start with concrete, giant stones, or retaining walls. It starts with metal structures installed on the seabed and a low-voltage electric current capable of making dissolved minerals in the water adhere to the framework as a layer of limestone.
The technology is known as Biorock, or mineral accretion technology. According to a technical document hosted by the Convention on Biological Diversity, the method applies safe, low-voltage electric currents in seawater, causing dissolved minerals to crystallize on submerged structures and form a white material similar to the limestone that makes up coral reefs and tropical beaches.
Biorock Technology was born as underwater engineering and became a bet to restore reefs
The idea of making the sea “build” mineral structures is not new. According to the Global Coral Reef Alliance, Biorock technology was originally invented by architect Wolf Hilbertz in 1976 to produce natural building materials in the sea, and later began to be used in coral reef and marine habitat restoration.
In practice, the metal structure functions as a skeleton. When it receives a weak electric current, it promotes the deposition of minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. These minerals form a hard layer, similar to limestone rock, which can serve as a substrate for corals, calcareous algae, mollusks, and other organisms.
According to an article published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, the so-called Biorock electric reefs are formed by low-voltage electrolysis of seawater, a process that generates the growth of limestone minerals on steel structures. The study argues that these reefs can help rebuild eroded beaches and protect vulnerable coasts.
