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HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

the SLudge Appraisal teaM – Developing a sUstainable value chaiN from tanK to product

Alternative title: Evalueringsgruppe for fiskeslam - utvikling av en bærekraftig verdikjede fra fisk til produkt

Awarded: NOK 12.0 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

326861

Project Period:

2021 - 2024

Subject Fields:

Partner countries:

The Norwegian government's goal for the future is ambitious: becoming a leading seafood nation with 5 million tonnes of sustainable aquaculture production by 2050. The salmon and rainbow trout biomass production of 2017 was 1.3 mill ton with a corresponding sludge volume of 2.1 mill ton, while by 2050 the sludge volume is predicted to reach 11 mill ton. To make aquaculture more sustainable and ready for stricter emission requirements, sludge handling solutions need to be increasingly adopted by the industry. SLAM-DUNK aims to develop a sustainable value chain for the conversion of fish sludge into valuable products. As such, the project will not only work on solutions for the sludge problem, but actually turn the aquaculture sludge into value. Novel treatment technologies (anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and microalgae) will be developed or optimized, and integrated to turn the sludge into potential materials for use in several sectors, such as architecture, consumer goods, and textiles. The consortium will not only focus on technology development, but also study the sustainability of the developed value chain, looking at the environmental impacts, the energy use, the costs, and the logistics of how such value chain should be organised. To do so, the consortium consists of a varied team of scientists and industry partners that cover all aspects from fish to product: NORCE is the project leader and will work on anaerobic digestion and microalgae cultivation, as well as the sustainability analysis, with support from the University of Bergen and Wageningen University from the Netherlands. Feeder International and Marineholmen RASlab will provide sludge and knowledge about aquaculture and sludge collection. Prototech will develop the pyrolysis process. Finally, Bioregion Institute will work on material development for architecture, consumer goods and textiles from the produced biomass. The project will run from 01.11.2021 to 31.12.2024.

Year after year, the Norwegian seafood industry establishes new records in exporting seafood. The Norwegian government's goal for the future is ambitious: becoming a leading seafood nation with 5 million tonnes of sustainable aquaculture production by 2050. The salmon and rainbow trout biomass production of 2017 was 1.3 million ton with a corresponding sludge volume of 2.1 mill ton. For comparison, 0.5 mill. tonnes of sludge annually discharged from open cages is equivalent to the waste generated by 20 million people. By 2050 the sludge volume is predicted to reach 11 mill ton. This huge amount of generated sludge can be considered a showstopper regarding the 2050 sustainability ambition. The aquaculture sector urgently needs to invest in future sludge handling solutions as new and stricter requirements are expected to be enforced by the authorities in the short term. Aquaculture sludge consists mainly of fish secretions and rests of uneaten fish feed with a very high percentage of organic components (50 – 90%) and a low total solid content. Also, fish sludges differ from other sludge types by having a high salinity and a high nitrogen content, especially ammonia. Discharge or reuse of these sludges is environmentally concerning or require high treatment costs. SLAM-DUNK aims to develop a sustainable value and logistics chain for the conversion of fish sludge into valuable products, based on designing, optimizing, and integrating a combination of novel technologies (anaerobic digestion, microwave assisted pyrolysis, and microalgae). This highly transdisciplinary project will not only focus on technology development, but also develop an optimal value chain for the use of sludge from fish production to potential products for several sectors such as architecture, consumer goods, and textile. Moreover, we will determine the sustainability of the proposed SLAM-DUNK value chains with respect to life cycle impact, energetic viability, and quantitative logistic performance.

Funding scheme:

HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

Thematic Areas and Topics

LTP3 Miljøvennlig energi og lavutslippsløsningerInternasjonaliseringMarinMarin bioteknologiFNs BærekraftsmålMål 2 Utrydde sultPortefølje Energi og transportResponsible Research & InnovationRRI MedvirkningGrunnforskningLavutslippPortefølje Muliggjørende teknologierBioteknologiMarin bioteknologiAvanserte produksjonsprosesserBruk av avansert produksjonsteknologi (ny fra 2015)InternasjonaliseringInternasjonalt prosjektsamarbeidAnvendt forskningPortefølje Banebrytende forskningBransjer og næringerResponsible Research & InnovationLTP3 Fagmiljøer og talenterFNs BærekraftsmålMål 14 Liv under vannHavbrukFNs BærekraftsmålMål 12 Ansvarlig forbruk og produksjonLTP3 Høy kvalitet og tilgjengelighetBransjer og næringerFiskeri og havbrukHavbrukHavbruks- og foredlingsteknologiHavbrukProduksjonsbiologiAvanserte produksjonsprosesserLTP3 Et kunnskapsintensivt næringsliv i hele landetLTP3 Klima, miljø og energiBioteknologiBioøkonomiSektorovergripende bioøkonomiLTP3 Hav og kystLTP3 Nano-, bioteknologi og teknologikonvergensBioøkonomiBioøkonomiØvrig bioøkonomiMatMatMat - Blå sektorFNs BærekraftsmålMarinPortefølje ForskningssystemetPortefølje Klima og miljøLTP3 Bioøkonomi og forvaltningNaturmangfold og miljøSirkulær økonomiLTP3 Klima, polar og miljøLTP3 Marine bioressurser og havforvaltningLTP3 Muliggjørende og industrielle teknologierLTP3 Styrket konkurransekraft og innovasjonsevneMarinHavbrukPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderFiskeri og kystPortefølje Mat og bioressurser