Copec, Luxmeter Energy and Ventisqueros have commissioned a system at the Quintupeu salmon farming center in Hornopirén, a remote area in southern Chile. The facility features a 48 kW photovoltaic system combined with a 109 kWh battery storage system, allowing the facility to reduce its reliance on diesel generators in this off-grid aquaculture operation.
A hybrid solar and storage system is now operating at the Ventisqueros-owned Quintupeu salmon farm in the Hornopirén area of Chile’s Los Lagos region. The project, developed by Copec and Luxmeter Energy, aims to reduce dependence on diesel energy generation on the farm in the fjord, which has no access to the electricity grid.
The installation combines a 48 kW photovoltaic system with a 109 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS), allowing the energy produced in the sun during peak hours to be stored and used continuously. The farm’s diesel generator acts as a backup during periods of low solar generation or operational contingencies.
Designed for the challenges of a marine environment with limited space and harsh weather conditions, the system includes flexible solar panels mounted on structures specifically designed for aquaculture centers. This approach enables photovoltaic generation on small, exposed surfaces where conventional panels would be impractical.
According to the project developers, salmon farms in isolated locations require a constant power supply for critical systems such as photoperiod control, oxygenation, nutrition and monitoring. Without access to the electrical grid, these facilities have traditionally relied on continuously running diesel generators, which created significant logistical and operational requirements.
During the first month of operation in October last year, the solar system met approximately two-thirds of the energy demand for the photoperiod control system, while the diesel generator provided the remaining 33.4%. Photoperiod control regulates the light and dark cycles that farmed salmon are exposed to, affecting their biological processes.
During that period, the farm recorded nine full days without activating the diesel generator and saw a reduced frequency of fuel deliveries.
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