Contact
Sæmundur Elíasson
Project Manager
saemundur.eliasson@matis.is
Extra raw materials from salmon farming - possible utilization and added value
With increased salmon farming in the south of the Westfjords, the amount of fish that dies during the farming season also increases, and since such raw material may not be used as feed for animals other than fur animals, it is all landfilled. Instead of a landfill, this raw material could possibly be used for biogas production and the biogas then used for energy production. Large numbers of dead fish will be released in the area in the coming years, so it is urgent to find an acceptable solution with regard to the impact on the environment and climate. In the project, all raw material streams in the southern Westfjords were analyzed with regard to biogas production, in addition to which possible locations for biogas plants and the transport routes of raw materials were examined. It was found that in order to be able to operate a biogas plant with dead fish as the main raw material, carbon-rich raw materials must be found for blending so that the decomposing organisms that decompose the raw material can fulfill their role. Carbon is obtained from barley and vegetables, among other things.
As the salmon farming in Westfjords increases the problem of dead fish and how to dispose of it increases as well. One of the solutions is to use the dead fish to produce biogas. In order to be able to produce biogas it is necessary to find resources that are high in carbon to blend with the fish. At the moment no resources of high carbon are available in the Westfjords.