© Alotta
The plant will be situated beside one of their farms in the Los Lagos Region and will be delivered in partnership with AKVA group Chile, which is responsible for the integration of Alotta’s floating solar technology into Trusal’s feed barges and farm operations.
The contract covers one floating solar energy plant, with options for up to five additional units, with Alotta Energy Chile owning and operating the installations, while Trusal has committed to purchasing green energy over a period of 15 years.
According to Alotta, the system allows aquaculture companies to “significantly reduce cost, diesel consumption and CO2 emissions, without the need for upfront investments or operational risk.”
Meanwhile, they observe that the feed barges will be much quieter, creating a better working environment for staff and a calmer environment for the fish.
Claudio Melgarejo , CFO of Trusal, said in a press release: “The collaboration with Alotta Energy and AKVA group in the implementation of this system has been highly satisfactory and strategic for our operations. At Salmones Austral, we maintain a firm commitment to the sustainable transformation of our production processes, actively seeking systems that contribute to reducing our CO2 emissions. We emphasize that this project has been developed within a collaborative and efficient framework between all parties “
Kari-Elin Hildre, CEO of Alotta Energy Chile, added: "This 15-year agreement is a milestone for Alotta Energy and a clear signal of the industry’s transition away from diesel dependency. Our energy-as-a-service model makes the switch to renewables simple: Alotta owns and operates the plants, and our customer s only pay for the green kilowatt - hours we produce . For Trusal, this means cost savings, reduced emissions, and a more sustainable energy mix.
Christian Schäfer, general manager at AKVA Group Chile, said: "This system in the Los Lagos region allows the site to run mainly on clean electricity during summer. By delivering a turn-key floating solar hybrid system to Alotta Energy , we’ve created a setup that improves working conditions and significantly reduces Scope 1 CO2 emissions — a strong example of how technology can drive sustainable aquaculture."
According to Alotta, over the 15-year contract period, if all six plants are realised, Trusal will cut around 10 million litres of diesel and avoid nearly 27,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of removing 6,000 cars from the road for a year, or planting more than 1.3 million trees.
