The hybrid technology operates primarily on battery power.
Gael Force
Leading Scottish aquaculture supplier Gael Force has installed, for the first time in Scotland, a hybrid power system developed by the technology company Fjord Maritime.
This system has been integrated into a 200-tonne concrete feed barge built for Cooke Aquaculture and currently operating in Orkney. The hybrid technology operates primarily on battery power, eliminating the need for generators to run continuously.
According to Gael Force, this reduction in operating time can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with traditional systems. In addition, reduced generator use can extend the lifespan of aquaculture farm power systems by up to 60%.
"A typical barge can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 160 and 165 tonnes of CO₂ per year. This is equivalent to taking approximately 80 to 90 cars off the road each year," detailed Torstein Nygård, Global Sales Director at Fjord Maritime.
Another advantage of the system is its ability to monitor and collect millions of data points daily, enabling the optimisation of energy consumption, improving operational efficiency, and reducing production costs per kilogram of fish.
Regarding the growing demand for hybrid solutions in the aquaculture sector, Gael Force Production Director Stephen Offord noted that the company now offers this technology both for new builds and for the retrofitting of existing vessels.
Finally, Offord noted that, as the four modules comprising the system occupy less space than a conventional generator, installation on existing barges is significantly simplified.
Gael Force has also confirmed that it maintained close collaboration with Fjord Maritime throughout the design and installation phases and provided specialised training to its technical teams to ensure the system operates correctly.
