Offshore fish farming isn\u2019t traditionally known for sustainability. The industry relies on burning a lot of diesel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One farm in Chile wanted to move towards a renewable solution and reduce the farm\u2019s footprint. They decided on solar and covered the holding pens with panels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The main goal was to cut emissions but also to do away with the noise of the diesel generators.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The efforts were a success, but they also attracted a new variable that engineers didn\u2019t forsee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What drew thousands of unexpected residents to the new solar setup?<\/p>\n
Why burning diesel created two problems to solve<\/p>\n
Fish farms built offshore need constant energy. Mowi\u2019s Huar Norte salmon farm in the waters of Chile relied on diesel generators for years.<\/p>\n
The engines were used to power everything, generating a scary amount of carbon emissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But they also created a problem under the surface, resulting in noise, vibrations, and stress. It was relentless, and the fish and staff alike needed a break.<\/p>\n
Mowi decided to act, teaming up with the AKVA group to build a cutting-edge solar pen system. The point was to slash fossil fuel reliance and clean up operations. Cutting out the noise was a bonus.<\/p>\n
The results of installing panels on the water surface were immediately clear. A silence settled over the site in Los Lagos, and the underwater vibrations stopped.<\/p>\n
It may have seemed tranquil, but there were changes happening below<\/a>.<\/p>\n An energy engineering collaboration and an oasis for new visitors<\/p>\n There was serious teamwork involved in the fish farm upgrade.<\/p>\n The resilient pens were built by the AKVA group. Alotta Energy was behind the floating solar grid, providing it as a service.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fjord Maritime came to the party with advanced battery storage packs to cover the power management.<\/p>\n The engineering is notably efficient, with the hybrid solar system now covering about 57% of the farm\u2019s energy needs. This eliminates more than 36,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year. This is the equivalent of keeping 386 tons of carbon out of the atmosphere.<\/p>\n There are benefits for logistics, too, because fewer fuel delivery boats have to visit the site.<\/p>\n There are new shadows over the pens created by the solar arrays. It\u2019s a large canopy that offers a form of protection.<\/p>\n Now, with the absence of the noise of the turbines and disturbance of the fuel delivery vessels, the farm is an ocean oasis.\u00a0<\/p>\n And it\u2019s super attractive to wildlife from below<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The fish farmers are thrilled, but who\u2019s moved into the basement?<\/p>\n This technology is growing fast, with Alotta Energy already having tested their systems in Norwegian waters. They\u2019re even behind the northernmost floating solar plant in the world.<\/p>\n In Chile, the workers are happy with the results of the upgrade. The site is cleaner and safer, and they can work in peace.\u00a0Huge volumes of diesel fumes are a thing of the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are more than just human benefits<\/p>\n And one species of fish has discovered a new fortress for gathering<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was salmon that decided to capitalize on the shade that the new panels provide. They\u2019ve now claimed the space under the pens. The solar footprint is their new home.<\/p>\n The cleaner water also contributed to a more accepting environment.<\/p>\n But the protection and shelter from predatory birds and harsh sunlight were great drawcards for salmon. Cod have taken advantage of the same conditions<\/a> in other parts of the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n The shade and cleaner habitat were just too good for the smart salmon to pass up. They\u2019re thriving in a new environment we built by accident.<\/p>\n Innovation often helps the planet in ways we hadn\u2019t expected. We might just build a better home for the wildlife around us by fixing heavy industry.<\/p>\n