Sutherland salmon firm Loch Duart invests in more sustainable power at sea
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Sutherland-based independent producer Loch Duart has become the first salmon farmer in Scotland to introduce a low carbon emissions hybrid feed storage barge.
The feed storage barge, which will service Loch Duart's farm site at Oldany in north-west Sutherland, is now in operation.
The hybrid power system for the feed storage barge, which combines battery and diesel power, will significantly reduce carbon emissions by cutting the site’s diesel consumption by up to 60 per cent when compared to standard diesel systems.
According to company calculations, the CO2 emissions from the production of the batteries will be earned back after approximately 60 days of use of the hybrid system at sea. Additionally, Loch Duart will take lorries off the road and deliver the feed straight from the producer by sea freight, the most CO2 efficient transport method.
Additional benefits include noise reduction through the use of the electric motor, ensuring a quieter environment for the farm team, the fish and neighbouring wildlife, and the lower loads mean that less maintenance is required on the barge generator, prolonging the lifespan of the vessel.
Loch Duart operations manager Hazel Wade said: “Loch Duart is excited to introduce this system on one of our sea sites, an industry first for Scotland. Our aim has always been to rear the best quality salmon with the lowest possible impact on the environment. This system represents a significant step forward, reducing our fuel usage and emissions while ensuring quieter operations for the team, our salmon and the local environment.
“The new hybrid feed storage barge also provides enhanced staff welfare facilities for our people working at sea, often in harsh weather conditions, helping them produce salmon with unrivalled taste and asked for by name around world. Loch Duart views this development as the beginning of our goal to further reduce the carbon footprint of all our farming operations.”
This is the latest initiative in Loch Duart’s low impact approach to salmon farming. The feed storage barge carries bespoke and sustainably sourced Loch Duart fish feed, which provides a diet that mimics the natural one of wild salmon as closely as possible.
The hybrid system for feed storage barges developed by ScaleAQ uses an Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure lower levels of diesel consumption and consequently lower emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxide. The DNV-GL (Det Norske Veritas) approved, cobalt-free batteries ensure installations are safe and have a long service life.
Graham Smith, general manager for ScaleAQ’s UK operation, said: “We are delighted to have been able to support Loch Duart in getting the first hybrid powered feed storage barge into Scotland and hope we can continue this theme as the industry works towards reducing its carbon footprint.”
Loch Duart, which also operates a processing plant in Dingwall, currently produces 6000 tonnes of high-quality salmon each year from its farms in Sutherland and the Outer Hebrides and employs 140 people.
