Alotta, a Norwegian renewable energy company, has signed a contract with Emilsen Fisk, a Norwegian fish farming company, to deploy a floating solar array.
The solar project will be built at the farm in Båfjordstranda in Norway’s Trøndelag region – making it the northernmost floating PV plant in the world.
According to a post on Alotta’s social media, its installation for Norwegian seafood company Hofseth had previously been the planet’s most northern floating PV site. However, Emilsen Fisk’s installation will beat this record.
Egil Hjelmeland, Chief Sales Officer of Alotta, comments: “Emilsen Fisk is showing real leadership by taking a major step toward sustainability. It’s inspiring to see fish farmers actively reducing their footprint.”
According to Emilsen Fisk CEO Roy Emilsen, the Alotta Solar Hybrid 120 system will be installed in March-April 2025 and will be specifically designed to withstand the harsh marine conditions of the Norwegian Sea.
The country’s governmental green transition agency Enova has supported the floating PV project through a 45% grant – delivered by the government’s Climate and Energy Fund.
Land of the Midnight Sun
Despite the country’s drastically variable daylight hours, due to Norway’s location in the Arctic Circle, solar installations are picking up the pace. Trøndelag sees over 20 hours of daylight per day in mid-summer, but fewer than five hours in mid-winter – but this hasn’t deterred Alotta.
In an official commentary to trade outlet Fish Farming Expert, Hjelmeland explained:
“Due to the seasonal variations in daylight, the system will provide the highest output during the summer months when long days and high solar irradiation allow for largely emission-free operations.
“During winter, the contribution will be lower, but the system will still help reduce diesel dependency.”
Overall, Alotta’s solar system is anticipated to produce 80,000–90,000 kWh annually for Emilsen Fisk, aiding the farm in significantly reducing its on-site CO2 emissions and reliance on diesel.
In the company’s social media post, Hjelmeland concludes: “Emilsen Fisk is showing real leadership by taking a major step toward sustainability. It’s inspiring to see fish farmers actively reducing their footprint.”
[Image credit: Alotta, Marius Beck Dahle]
