Grid capacity is a current problem for Norway's closed fish farm push

It’s well known that floating closed containment pens require more electricity than standard net pens, but the difference may be greater than many people realise.

“We use at least 50 times more electricity in closed production compared to open [net pens],” says Michael Niesar, managing director of salmon farmer Sulefisk in Solund municipality, western Norway.

The company has a closed containment pen that has been connected to shore power since 2014, and by 2026 will have three net pen locations with shore power and two with hybrid power.

It therefore has real figures to compare the electricity consumption from closed production to traditional open cages. The figures show a consumption of around 3.87 kWh per kilogram of fish produced in closed pens, compared to 0.07 kWh in open pens.

A major challenge

“This points to a major challenge in terms of access to enough power in a major transition to closed production, and raises questions about the sustainability perspective,” adds Niesar.

The Norwegian government wants greater sustainability from the salmon sector, but efforts to swap diesel generators on farms and boats for shore power and batteries are being hampered by a lack of grid capacity.

“Lack of network capacity is already a fact for us, and not just something that will occur if Sulefisk implements increased investment in production in closed cages,” says Niesar.

Bottleneck for hatchery

The limitations are also clearly felt in land-based operations. At Sulefisk’s hatchery producer Sol Smolt in the same municipality, electricity capacity is already a bottleneck.

Chairman Jan-Emil Johannessen says the company is in the process of upgrading the facility and building a new RAS department, but that the power supply sets clear limits.

“We get just enough electricity to run the plant at normal capacity, but we have to be careful. Full operation of the entire plant is not possible,” he explains.

The lack of electricity also affects specific environmental measures. Among other things, the company wants to produce oxygen itself, instead of having it transported by truck from Rjukan.

“Transport accounts for half the cost, and makes us less environmentally friendly.”

Can't dry sludge

Another measure that is being stalled is more efficient sludge treatment, since the hatchery producer does not have enough power for a drying oven.

“The sludge we send away is only 10-12% dry matter, which means we transport a lot of water and need far more transport.”

The Sol Smolt chairman is clear that the power grid must be expanded, and that restructuring in the aquaculture industry is making it even more necessary. He believes that politicians cannot adopt electrification and conversion to more energy-intensive forms of production without also having the infrastructure to implement it.

“We are going to build and produce good quality smolt, but it is a shame that the infrastructure will impose these limitations and prevent us from expanding further,” says Johannessen.

Targets 'are achieveable'

Fisheries minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss has acknowledged to Fish Farming Expert’s Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no, that: “Lack of grid capacity is a challenge in some places, both for the seafood industry and for society in general.”

Næss was responding last week to questions posed by Kyst.no before Christmas, when a report by Menon Economics pointed out that new forms of production such as land-based food fish production, semi-enclosed, closed and submersible cages in the sea are increasing the industry's power needs and that western Norway in particular, but also northern Norway, were areas where development may be hindered.

Asked whether power infrastructure was good enough to support increased investment in closed technology at sea and land-based production, she said: “The transformation of the seafood industry requires, among other things, more power and more grids. That is precisely why the government is working broadly to strengthen the infrastructure in the north, both in the new High North Strategy and through energy policy.

“In addition, we have been clear that the aquaculture industry should develop within sustainable frameworks, which means lower environmental impact and better animal welfare. The requirements we set are ambitious, but I believe they are achievable.”