Revolutionizing Offshore Aquaculture: Alotta Energy Chile’s Floating Solar Installation
Alotta Energy Chile has made waves in the renewable energy sector by delivering Chile’s first floating solar installation at Mowi’s Isla Huar salmon farm in the Los Lagos region. This innovative project is set to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and decrease diesel reliance in offshore aquaculture operations.
The cutting-edge system, developed, financed, and installed by Alotta Energy Chile, a subsidiary of Norway-based Alotta AS, is part of the company’s proprietary Solar Hybrid platform. The design incorporates a membrane-based technology licensed from Ocean Sun, showcasing the latest advancements in sustainable energy solutions.
According to Alotta, the floating solar installation is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 350 tons annually, which is equivalent to planting 14,000 trees or conserving over 12 hectares of native forest. The solar power generated is either utilized on-site or stored in batteries, covering up to 50% of the salmon farm’s energy needs and significantly cutting diesel consumption.
“For the industry to move towards more sustainable practices, incorporating new technologies to minimize impacts is crucial. This initiative represents a significant step in innovating solutions to reduce emissions and enhance energy efficiency in our daily operations,” stated Ricardo Gantenbein, Seawater Production Manager at Mowi Chile.
The project was executed in collaboration with AKVA group, responsible for infrastructure integration and maintenance oversight, and Fjord Maritime, the supplier of the energy storage system. Alotta Energy Chile will continue to provide power under an energy-as-a-service model, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Kari-Elin Hildre, General Manager of Alotta Energy Chile, expressed pride in the successful implementation of the solar hybrid technology, emphasizing that “renewable energy is now poised to replace diesel in global aquaculture, as demonstrated by this project in Chile.”
Building on the success of a previous deployment in Northern Norway, Alotta Energy Chile is scaling its hybrid system internationally, targeting off-grid and aquaculture markets with high fuel dependence. This innovative solution offers a quieter, lower-emission alternative to traditional barge operations, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
In a similar vein, a strategic partnership between Singapore-based Canopy Power and Norway’s Ocean Sun aims to deploy floating solar technology in Australia, accelerating renewable energy solutions and addressing challenges related to land and water scarcity.