Chilean salmon farmer signs up for floating solar power supply
Salmones Austral subsidiary Trusal agrees 15-year deal with Norwegian green electricity pioneer
A Chilean fish farmer is to be receive electricity generated by on-site floating solar power after signing a 15-year supply deal with Norwegian-headquartered company Alotta.
The contract with Trusal – part of Salmones Austral - covers one floating solar energy plant, with options for up to five additional units. The units are mounted within the same type of flotation collars used for fish pens.
Alotta Energy Chile will own and operate the installations, while Trusal commits to purchasing green energy over the contract period for farms in Los Lagos region.
The project is delivered in partnership with AKVA group Chile, which is responsible for the turnkey integration of Alotta’s floating solar technology into Trusal’s feeding barges and farm operations.
No upfront costs
Alotta said the model allows aquaculture companies to significantly reduce cost, diesel consumption and CO2 emissions, without the need for upfront investments or operational risk.
Beyond the environmental benefits, the shift from diesel to solar power also transforms the daily experience at the farm sites. The feeding barges will be much quieter, creating a better working environment for staff – and likely a calmer, healthier environment for the fish as well.
Kari-Elin Hildre, chief executive of Alotta Energy Chile, said: “This 15-year agreement is a milestone for Alotta Energy and a clear signal of the industry’s transition away from diesel dependency. Our energy-as-a-service model makes the switch to renewables simple: Alotta owns and operates the plants, and our customers only pay for the green kilowatt-hours we produce.
“For Trusal, this means cost savings, reduced emissions, and a more sustainable energy mix.
“For us, it is a privilege to support one of Chile’s leading seafood producers in taking this important step.”
10 million litres of diesel
Christian Schäfer, general manager, AKVA Group Chile, said: “This system in the Los Lagos region allows the site to run mainly on clean electricity during summer.
“By delivering a turn-key floating solar hybrid system to Alotta Energy, we’ve created a setup that improves working conditions and significantly reduces Scope 1 CO2 emissions - a strong example of how technology can drive sustainable aquaculture.”
Over the 15-year contract period, if all six plants are realised, Trusal will cut around 10 million litres of diesel and avoid nearly 27,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of removing 6,000 cars from the road for a year, or planting more than 1.3 million trees.
