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

Programme(s)

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

Region

Norge Vestlandet Vestland

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Links

Contact the organisation

Participation in EU R&I programmes

HORIZON collaboration network

Other funding

€ 806 063,00