Progress report for LNE23-478R
Project Information
In this effort, TBY is expanding on our work with the aquaculture industry to build and deploy battery solutions to power on-water farming and harvesting operations. We are focusing to build, from existing prototypes, a suite of clean power solutions that can be safely operated in wet environments to replace gas and diesel generators currently used by sea farms. We have evaluated what equipment to use and how much battery capacity is needed for operations and will now determine which electric motors and pumps to use, and how the batteries will be recharged to address the current gaps in knowledge in this area.
By researching, building, and deploying battery solutions for sea farms through this project, we will help transition the aquaculture industry away from fossil fuel generators. Our innovation will create much-needed alternatives for sea farmers whose current fossil fuel-dependent systems are noisier, more expensive to fuel and maintain, and pollute. The benefits of battery power make it an attractive solution to sea farmers everywhere.
Led by PI Nick Planson, TBY will accomplish the goal of building a suite of clean power solutions for sea farms through seven project objectives as described later in this report. Some of the objectives are completed, some are on-going, and some will begin in the second period of performance. These objectives include:
1) Survey sea farmers about power needs on their farms, identifying greatest needs;
2) Aggregate specifications and catalog available batteries and components to service aquaculture needs;
3) Identify equipment that can be powered using DC power from batteries;
4) Create a suite of battery-powered solutions that can be replicated by individual sea farms or customized, modified, and installed by TBY;
5) Perform a cost-benefit analysis of battery-powered solutions vs. fossil fuel generators;
6) Deploy and test portable battery-powered systems on sea farms;
7) Conduct outreach to sea farmers, Extension professionals, and other stakeholders.
We have started to perform or will complete the tasks below to test, evaluate, and develop our suite of power solutions including:
- Complete Duty Cycle analyses on at-sea farm equipment
- Identify replacement equipment that can be powered by batteries
- Identify optimal batteries and wiring to power that equipment
- Identify various charging solutions for batteries
- Acquire and test each prototype configuration in workshop and at sea, gather and document performance relative to required duty cycles
- Address performance issues
- Deploy configurations on sea farms, test, and document feedback
Farmers have a high interest in reducing their environmental impact through decreased air, water, and noise pollution. Farmers are also highly motivated by the potential to save money in fuel and maintenance costs for their tools. These statements were proven accurate during our site visits to kick off this project. Many aquaculture species clean the water as they grow – processing them with zero-carbon solutions will further enhance their environmental benefits and will lead to a carbon-neutral or carbon-negative supply chain.
TBY will build a suite of clean power solutions, from existing products, for the marine aquaculture industry. The technology is proven cost-effective and reliable – now it needs to be simplified and standardized to make it easily accessible by all sea farmers. Replacing gas and diesel generators and pumps with battery-powered alternatives will reduce operating costs, the industry’s carbon footprint, noise affecting neighbors and workers, and eliminate the possibility of fuel and oil spills.
Sea farmers currently spend an inordinate amount of time and money operating, fueling, and maintaining gas and diesel generators to power equipment on the water at their farms. Fossil fuel is the main power source in aquaculture, and its combustion generates a large amount of greenhouse gases and other emissions (Korican, 2022). A typical fish farm requires between 200,000 and 450,000 kWh of electricity a year, supplied by diesel-powered generators (Ford, 2021). Data on energy use in aquaculture is sparse and varies greatly – from 17 to 20 MJ/kg of pangasius, to 18 to 27 MJ/kg of tilapia (Eurofish, 2022). Even a small oyster farm could have three or more small generators, each creating noise, air, and water pollution through the inevitably leaked or spilled fuel and oil. Our innovation will create much-needed alternatives for sea farmers whose current fossil fuel-dependent systems are noisier, more expensive to fuel and maintain, and run the risk of polluting the surrounding environment. The many benefits of battery power make it an attractive solution to sea farmers everywhere.
Our novel approach aims to solve the many financial and environmental risks associated with fossil fuel generators. The resulting electric power suite will enhance the sustainability and resilience of sea farms as well as improve the quality of life of sea farmers, in direct connection with NESARE’s mission.
The global aquaculture market was valued at $204B in 2020 and is expected to reach $262B by the end of 2026 with Asia and Europe accounting for more than 70% of the world’s aquaculture production (Trade.gov, 2020). In contrast, the U.S. is behind in aquaculture production, ranking 17th in worldwide aquaculture production (Sadusky, 2022). There is a significant opportunity in the U.S., and in particular, the Northeast, to further expand and support the aquaculture industry. Aquaculture is an important and lucrative industry in Maine that has seen steady growth in the last decade. Industry experts anticipate this industry will continue to grow, estimating it will double by 2029 (McEvoy, 2019). At this time, there are approximately 150 lease sites and nearly 700 limited purpose aquaculture (LPA) license sites in Maine. These aquaculture operations will serve as the initial target market for our electric batteries and can be adopted nationally and internationally. All aquaculture farms worldwide could benefit from these solutions. We are already collaborating with small oyster farmers, kelp farmers, and some of the largest salmon farmers worldwide on this project.
In this project, we will expand our work with the aquaculture industry to build and deploy battery solutions to power on-water farm and harvest operations. The technology now exists to cost-effectively replace these combustion power sources with a suite of battery-powered solutions that can be safely operated in wet environments. These batteries are paired with electric motors and pumps and can either be recharged on land or using renewables on the water.
Research
TBY will build a suite of clean power solutions to replace fossil fuel generators currently used by sea farms.
We will test and evaluate the following research questions:
- What are the various types of common ICE-powered equipment on sea farms
- How and how much are they used?
- What are readily available DC-powered alternatives?
- What are the best battery and charging solutions to power DC motors and DC hydraulic power packs on sea farms?
- What are simple, safe, and optimal designs for battery-powered sea farm equipment?
- What is the cost-benefit analysis of battery power vs. fossil fuels generators?
The following treatments/objectives and tasks/methods were proposed as part of the original application. Updates for each objective and tasks is outlined in the “Project Outcomes > “Additional Outcomes Narrative” section of the report.
a. Treatments:
- Survey sea farmers about their portable power requirements, determine duty cycles, and desired power characteristics to identify the greatest needs
- Aggregate specifications and catalog available batteries and components to service aquaculture needs through duty cycle analyses of existing ICE-powered aquaculture equipment (e.g., oyster tumblers and sorters, kelp and mooring winches, hydraulic power packs for cranes or DC cranes, and line haulers)
- Identification of alternative equipment that can be powered using DC power from batteries (e.g., DC motors and hydraulic power packs) and identification of batteries and battery-protective equipment to safely deploy batteries at sea
- Create a suite of battery-powered solutions that can be replicated by individual sea farms or customized, modified, and installed by TBY and develop logistical approaches for recharging batteries either onshore or on farms (using renewable sources)
- Perform a cost-benefit analysis of battery-powered solutions vs. fossil fuel generators
- Deploy and test portable battery-powered systems on sea farms
- Conduct outreach to sea farmers, Extension professionals, and other stakeholders
b. Methods:
Task 1: Survey (Mar '23 to Aug '23)
TBY will conduct a survey of sea farmers about their portable power consumption needs to identify the greatest needs as well as their interest in adopting the technology. Survey results will be collected by TBY and analyzed. Results will inform other tasks and prototype designs. We will:
- Determine survey platform and create relevant survey questions
- Identify survey participants and perform outreach for completion of survey
- Analyze survey results and create findings report
Task 2: Equipment duty cycle analysis (Jun '23 to Sep '23)
Using information aggregated in Task 1, TBY will identify common on-water equipment typically powered by ICE generators on finfish, shellfish, and seaweed farms. We will verify that batteries powering direct current (DC) motors and/or DC hydraulic power pack solutions will provide sufficient power (as measured in horsepower or kilowatts) for enough time to meet the defined equipment use profiles. This will also determine charger requirements and options. Methods will include the following:
- Analysis of baseline and comparable use data gathering for the existing on-farm equipment including an assessment of:
a. Work time logs
b. Fuel consumption
c. Weather patterns
d. Worst case scenario definition
e. Existing troubleshooting or emergency protocols - Detailed fuel log and receipt verification
- Generator and power pack maintenance records
- Review of manufacturer power curves and available empirical data from operating equipment
- Location and specifications of planned charging infrastructure
Data will be gathered by TBY. Hyde Renewables (HRE) will analyze and review the defined power and energy profiles and modeled system performance and availability. HRE will present its assumptions, potential risks identified, and any limitations expected to TBY and project stakeholders.
Task 3: Identification of DC motors and DC hydraulic power packs (Oct '23 to Dec '23)
HRE and TBY will work with equipment manufacturers to identify DC motors and DC hydraulic power packs that will meet the needs and rugged environments of aquaculture farms. Using DC equipment avoids the losses resulting from converting DC battery power to AC power using an inverter. TBY will vet the equipment identified with sea farmers to confirm suitability. HRE will leverage the above duty-cycle analysis results to calculate battery requirements for the DC motors and power packs, advise sources of applicable batteries, design the general wiring, safety measures, and controls required for safe and reliable operation, and conduct desktop validation of the performance expectations provided by sea farms. The purpose of this validation is to confirm and compare the battery, motor, and pump manufacturers’ described performance with known variables, use case specific factors, and stakeholder needs and risk tolerance. The methods include a review of:
- Manufacturer provided power curves based on simulated performance
- Available empirical manufacturer data on power curve and availability performance
- Manufacturer maintenance schedules, as well as corrective maintenance logs if available
- Manufacturer spare parts recommendations
- Manufacturer warranty documents, including service level obligations for warranty claims and corrective action based on the project region
HRE will present its assumptions, potential risks identified, and limitations expected to TBY.
Task 4: Construction and testing of power solutions (Oct '23 to Mar'24)
TBY will source required equipment for beta-prototype configurations to battery-power relevant equipment, including tumblers, sorters, winches, and small cranes, based on identified needs and solutions identified in Tasks 1-3. Leveraging HRE’s designs, TBY will construct and configure the systems for testing in real-world applications on sea farms. TBY will collect feedback on the performance of the prototypes to determine the success of the project and address any identified issues.
Task 5: Cost-benefit analysis (Apr '24 to Jun '24)
This task will critically evaluate estimated purchase prices from suppliers and shipping costs to determine upfront costs of battery/charger configurations at specific power levels and how these costs compare to ICE generators. Lifecycle financial analysis will include costs of electricity, maintenance and battery transport for the beta-prototype configurations and costs of fuel, maintenance, and fuel transport and storage for the ICE generators. Refinements of these estimates, combined with other cost considerations, will determine the feasibility of replacing ICE generators with beta-prototype configurations of cleaner, battery power. This work will be completed by PI Planson with assistance from HRE and Atlantic Corporation.
Task 6: Deploy and test portable battery-powered systems on sea farms (Apr '24 to Sep '24)
Utilizing TBY’s extensive network of sea farmers, new prototypes will be deployed and tested in real-life situations on sea farms. Data and feedback from sea farms will be gathered by TBY to address any final performance issues.
Task 7: Outreach and presentation of results (Oct '24 to Feb '25)
The results of this project will be summarized and reported to the committee. The report or synthesized data will be shared widely and made available to stakeholders across the aquaculture industry. Specific outreach efforts are outlined below in section d. and in the previous Outreach to Farmers section.
c. Data Collection:
Data will be collected by the project leader and by sea farmers testing equipment, at various stages of the project. This will be done in a systematic way to capture all crucial data needed to develop strong prototypes and demonstrate the results of the project to all across the aquaculture industry. Data to be collected includes:
- Sea farmer survey: Initial data will be collected through a survey of sea farmers to identify the greatest power needs of their operations. This information will inform later stages of the design and testing of our prototypes.
- Testing data of prototypes: TBY will test each prototype prior to deployment to identify the most efficient configuration. Data will be collected to identify and address any performance issues before deploying to sea farms.
- Performance data of prototypes: Once deployed, our prototype configurations will be closely monitored and tested by sea farmers. Farmers will communicate feedback and results to TBY to be shared throughout the industry.
d. Data Analysis and Presentation of Results: Final data will be analyzed by the PI and team and published in a findings report. All designs and research results will be published on TBY’s website, www.theboatyard.me, and will be widely available to aquaculture stakeholders. We will present findings through industry events, conference presentations, and Sea Grant workshops.
TBY used the first year’s period of performance to focus on Tasks 1-3, as described in the methods section of the progress report. Progress on these tasks is summarized below and will be included in complete detail in the final report:
Task 1: Survey
We performed a combination of phone, online, and in person interviews and data collection sessions, supported by ArcGIS Survey123, iPad photos and notes, notepads, and Fluke meters. We documented what challenges sea farmers face, what ambitions, and wish list items they have, and what equipment they are currently using, when, and for how long. We measured inrush and steady-state loads. We met with sea farmers in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Georgia, Alaska, Washington, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and beyond. Results have been summarized in spreadsheets, photos, PowerPoint presentations, and prototyping budgets. The data from 40 different operations was used to inform Tasks 2 and 3 and will be attached to the final report as appendices. Nick Planson led the work on this task, with support from Chad Strater, and Kyle Dorsey over the second half of 2023.
The overall result of the work is a detailed understanding of the equipment used on regenerative sea farms, the duty cycles, and the challenges and frustrations users face. The results directly inform us on what technology we need to develop and what power and energy requirements it needs to support. There were no deviations from the original objectives; however, the method we used was slightly altered from the proposal. We originally proposed a formal, single, survey using an online platform. After working with the farms, we determined an informal focus group-type approach was much more fruitful and provided us with all the necessary data.
Task 2: Duty Cycle Analysis
Duty cycle analysis data was collected from over 40 in-person farm visits in Task 1, as well as additional remote interviews of sea farm owners and operators. Farms varied drastically in size, complexity, and maturity; thus, a wide swathe of opportunities were identified. Some farm visits and data collection occurred via the Survey123 iPad-based app; however, the vast majority of input was from conversation, notes, and photographs. High-level fuel consumption and maintenance estimates were sufficient to determine the costs and logistics of operating existing farm machinery, thus it quickly became clear that collecting detailed fuel logs, receipts, and maintenance records was unnecessary and an inefficient use of farmers’ time. All necessary data was collected for the needs assessment and solution design in the next tasks of the project. Throughout the second half of 2023 TBY staff, aquaculture farmers, and technical resources reviewed the data collected, use profiles, fuel usage, equipment used, seasonality, geographical considerations, and access to charging infrastructure to identify the best opportunities for electrification. Much depends on the size of the sea farm and the farming techniques. Smaller farms primarily rely on gasoline-powered generators and pumps; larger farms rely on gasoline-powered hydraulic power packs. Noise reduction is the primary driver of interest from sea farmers in electrification; emissions reduction, greater reliability, and cost improvements are secondary drivers. A detailed analysis with graphics and charts will be included in the final report. Data collection and high-level analysis was completed by Nick Planson, Chad Strater, and Kyle Dorsey between August 2023 and November 2023. This was about a 60-day delay on our original target, which is mostly attributed to securing assessment times with farms during their peak season.
Task 3: Identification of DC motors and DC hydraulic power packs
This task is currently on-going and is scheduled for completion in Feb/Mar 2024. This is also delayed by 60-90 days from our original deadline due to the timeline change in Task 1. This will be reported on in the final report.
The company will focus on the remaining project efforts between February 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025, which include:
- Task 4: Construction and testing of power solutions
- Task 5: Cost-benefit analysis
- Task 6: Deploy and test portable battery-powered systems on sea farms
- Task 7: Outreach and presentation of results
Task 1: Survey
The conclusion of the task is a detailed understanding of the equipment used on regenerative sea farms, the duty cycles, and the challenges and frustrations users face. The results directly inform us on what technology we need to develop and what power and energy requirements it needs to support. There were no deviations from the original objectives; however, the method we used was slightly altered from the proposal. We originally proposed a formal, single, survey using an online platform. After working with the farms, we determined an informal focus group-type approach was much more fruitful and provided us with all the necessary data.
Task 2: Duty Cycle Analysis
The overarching conclusion of this task, at a high level, was the prioritized feasibility of the development plan is as follows:
- DC pump for battery + solar oyster upweller, with remote alert and monitoring, possibly with on-board gantry crane
- Fully DC-powered oyster farming equipment (tumbler, washdown + pressure washing pump, and line hauler), with portable and/or solar-charged batteries, without hydraulics or inverting to AC power
- Battery-over-hydraulic knuckle boom cranes for workboats and farm barges, with sufficient batteries to meet duty cycles using overnight shore charging
Other potential technologies we may explore through other funding avenues include:
- Battery-over-hydraulic knuckle boom cranes with sufficient batteries and on-farm recharging from renewables
- DC to AC inverted power solutions for existing on-farm AC-powered equipment
- DC hydraulic power packs to replace the gasoline motors on existing on-farm hydraulic power packs
Now that the team has identified focus areas for Task 4 (Construction and testing of power solutions), our work going forward will include a targeted, more detailed, analysis of the duty cycles, seasonality, and reliability of the equipment we’ll be developing in the following categories. As systems are configured, they will be tested on land, then at sea, with farmers. Performance, usability, and safety feedback will be immediately incorporated into improved designs through an iterative process of continuous improvement:
- DC pump for battery + solar oyster upweller, with remote alert and monitoring, possibly with onboard gantry crane
The next steps are to work hand-in-hand with oyster farmers on their experience with AC-powered grid-connected upwellers and learn from others who’ve built their own solar-powered upwellers (e.g., learn from an upcoming presentation at the NACE conference). We will continue working with the best-known upweller pump company to collaboratively develop a DC-powered pump and will integrate a cellular communication component to alert farmers if the pump stops working. A high degree of reliability is required as oyster seed will die within 3-4 hours if sea water stops being circulated by the pump. We will likely integrate multiple pumps. Once constructed, we’ll run the solar upweller for several weeks before putting oyster seed in it, to confirm reliability, redundancy, and alert functionality.
- Fully DC-powered oyster farming equipment (tumbler, washdown + pressure washing pump, and line hauler), with portable and/or solar-charged batteries, without hydraulics or inverting to AC power.
We will configure, integrate, and construct this comprehensive system in a small format that will fit on a collaborating farmer’s boat, then she will test it, and we will continuously improve it.
- Battery-over-hydraulic knuckle boom cranes for workboats and farm barges, with sufficient batteries to meet duty cycles using overnight shore charging.
We will continue discussions with hydraulic power companies to assess the feasibility of a battery-powered hydraulic power pack meeting the duty-cycle needs of oyster farms. We will likely acquire a battery-over-hydraulic knuckle boom crane and integrate it with the same batteries and controls we’ll be using for the above-mentioned DC-powered oyster farming equipment. We and our partner farmers will test the functionality, durability, and power needs of this equipment.
There were no deviations from the original objective. In some cases, the data collection and analysis methods were adjusted to reflect real-world information availability and efficiency.
Tasks 3-7
Research conclusions for tasks 3-7 will be included in the final report in February 2025.
Education & Outreach Activities and Participation Summary
Educational activities:
Participation Summary:
Educational activities for this period of performance included 21 “webinar/talks/presentations” and 19 field days. While these activities were focused on data collection to complete the objectives and tasks of the project, we were able to educate the farms on the targeted project deliverables (a suite of clean power solutions to replace fossil fuel generators). Upon the launch of our new tools we will be able to formally educate prospective customers (farms) in detail.
Learning Outcomes
Not applicable.
Project Outcomes
We anticipate having a number of success stories to share once we complete Tasks 4 and 5 and farms begin testing our solutions.
One area that proved to be more challenging, as described in the project outcomes and methods section of this report, was the time it took to collect farm data. We underestimated how busy the farms were during peak season and thus it took our team longer to collect the pertinent information. While this delay slightly alters our task-specific timeline. It will not impact the overall timeline of the project, as we plan to accelerate the development phase of our work (Tasks 4-7). We will provide additional perspective and insights about the lessons learned form this project in the final report, in hopes to support additional work that may need to be completed in this field of study.