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Novel closed-cage system for high-value marine aquaculture

Project description

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.

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 (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017

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Coordinator

AQUAFARM EQUIPMENT AS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 880 812,00
Address
TINGVEGEN 74
5555 FORDE I HORDALAND
Norway

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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
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 686 875,00
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