Test bed for large-scale aquaculture

To make Sweden a leader in smart, sustainable and circular land-based aquaculture

The project "Testbed for large-scale land-based aquaculture" lays the foundation for an advanced testbed for smart, sustainable and circular aquaculture. We are in a system shift that means that aquaculture will more often be conducted on land, therefore a test bed is needed for the development and verification of new cultivation methods, species and technologies for further processing of biomass.

The test bed now being designed will allow advanced tests to be carried out to grow and keep different species of aquatic organisms, such as fish, invertebrates and algae. The test bed will include a production part with the possibility to optimize the cultivation of the different species in a high-tech and digitalized environment. Another part focuses on process and biotechnology to maximize the value of the cultivated biomass. Having both of these infrastructures close to each other, we believe, means a great logistical advantage and quick feedback between the two parts.

The focus is on tests in salt water in so-called RAS facilities - Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. In such a system, water and other resources are circulated and therefore the facility is designed to be able to test e.g. water treatment, automation, construction materials and the use of residual products in closed circular systems. In closed, recirculating facilities, you can have good control over the process and optimize the environment for both the cultivated organisms, as well as the exchange between the facility and the surrounding environment. The test environment will be agile and flexible with smaller units while being able to run larger tests over a longer period of time.

The investment in a large-scale test bed is motivated by a system shift where land-based aquaculture is becoming more common and then opportunities are needed for the industry to test and verify. We see an increased demand for sustainably produced and nutritious food. In addition, the ability to utilize side streams from aquaculture and the processing industry is becoming increasingly important, so that these resources can be refined or become raw materials in other processes. This development creates growth in a sustainable new sector that provides jobs and increased self-sufficiency, both for seafood and other products made from marine raw materials. A feasibility study has shown the need to develop a test bed for large-scale aquaculture to support such development.

The project "Testbed for large-scale land-based aquaculture" brings together partners from industry and academia, who together with innovation support actors develop and anchor the concept and produce an investment basis to be able to build a physical testbed in the next step.