Project description DEENESFRITPL Innovative, friendly aquaculture with closed-cage system The SME Phase 1 Feasibility Study (GA#728996) resulted in an innovative closed-cage system for high-value marine aquaculture. The EU-funded NEPTUN project will address and implement these findings to upscale, pilot and commercialise the patented closed-cage aquaculture system (CCAS) for entirely sustainable and cost-effective inshore aquaculture. The system is the first CCAS capable of addressing the entire grow-out cycle of fish, securing solid waste removal up to 90 %, reducing mortality rate down to 0.4 % and feed costs by 10 %, allowing adult fish densities of 50 kg/m3 without further depleting marine ecosystems. NEPTUN will increase global salmon production levels generating 500 000 t extra of fish protein and minimise the environmental impact of aquaculture activities. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective "The vision of the NEPTUN project is to address and implement the findings of our SME Phase 1 Feasibility Study (GA#728996) to upscale, pilot, and commercialise our patented Closed-Cage Aquaculture System [CCAS] for wholly sustainable and cost-effective inshore aquaculture. NEPTUN will be the first CCAS capable of withstanding the whole grow-out cycle of fish, securing solid waste removal up to 90% (highest in the market), reducing mortality rate down to 0.4% (e.g. average rate in salmon farming in Norway: 10%) and feed costs in 10%, allowing adult fish densities of 50 kg/m3 (current limits for salmon farming in Norway: 25 kg/m3) without further depleting marine ecosystems. NEPTUN has the potential to increase e.g. global salmon production levels from current 2.2m t to 4.7m t (or 500,000t extra of fish protein), while minimizing the environmental impact of aquaculture activities (i.e. eliminate 363 t C, 45.5 t of N, and 8.5 t of P discharges from salmon farming in Norway alone).We have defined a subset of specific objectives covering final prototyping, validation, and commercialisation readiness activities. Achieving them will bring us to a wide market uptake.1) Final prototyping objectives (WP1) to integrate and optimise the functionalities of NEPTUN’s subsystems, and deploy our prototype at our piloting facilities, raising NEPTUN TRL from TRL7 to TRL8.2) Validation objectives (WP2) to demonstrate NEPTUN's technical and economic performance through a large-scale piloting in real-life operating settings, elevating our CCAS from TRL8 to TRL9.3) Commercialisation readiness objectives (WP3-5) enabling us to successfully bring NEPTUN to the market and reach sales traction beyond Phase 2.Through the NEPTUN SME Phase 2 project we will significantly boost the growth in our company. We estimate that by year 5 after project closure, we will reach annual revenues of €411m, generate at least 76 new full-time positions, and accumulate profits of €127m, with 12.11 ROI." Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheriessocial sciencessociologydemographymortalitynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycologyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringagricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass Programme(s) H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme H2020-EU.3.2.5. - Cross-cutting marine and maritime research H2020-EU.3.2.3. - Unlocking the potential of aquatic living resources H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument Topic(s) SMEInst-08-2016-2017 - Supporting SMEs efforts for the development - deployment and market replication of innovative solutions for blue growth Call for proposal H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017 Funding Scheme SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2 Coordinator AQUAFARM EQUIPMENT AS Net EU contribution € 1 880 812,00 Address TINGVEGEN 74 5555 FORDE I HORDALAND Norway See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Norge Vestlandet Vestland Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 686 875,00
