Rheinfelden AG – has now installed a photovoltaic system on the roof of this facility. It will provide renewable energy to power the shrimp farm.
SwissShrimp AG has been farming shrimp sustainably in Rheinfelden in the canton Aargau since 2018. So the startup used an industrial warehouse owned by Schweizer Saline AG . For example, by using this facility, SwissShrimp benefits from access to salt from salt water, which is used for its aquaculture. To date, the farm is operated on waste heat from local salt production and electricity from hydroelectric stations.
Schweizer Salinen AG has now invested around 700.000 Swiss francs in the construction of a photovoltaic system to be installed on the roof of the shrimp farm, details of which can be found in a press release Released by SwissShrimp. This will provide greater volumes of renewable energy to the farm. “The amount of hydropower available is insufficient to power all consumers, while the potential for expansion has been largely exhausted. However, for solar energy, the potential is still huge,” said Michael Bösch, Professor of Resource Efficiency at University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , explains in the SwissShrimp press release.
The new system was put into operation in the spring and covers an area of 3.070 square meters. It is estimated to produce about 500.000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, with about 80% of this electricity used directly for shrimp farming. The remaining electricity will be fed into the network AEW Energy AG .
“We are always looking for ways to make our shrimp production more environmentally friendly in the long term. Getting electricity directly from the roof of our production facility represents an important step in this direction,” commented Rafael Waber, CEO of SwissShrimp AG.
SWISSSHRIMP AG: SUSTAINABLE SHRIMP FROM SWITZERLAND
Shrimp is often imported into Switzerland from farming facilities in tropical countries. According to the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, about 3,4 million tons of shrimp are farmed each year and according to SRF, about 9000 tons of these are imported into Switzerland each year. In most cases, shrimp on farms are treated with antibiotics to prevent diseases and promote faster growth. Flooding, soil salinization and groundwater pollution are local side effects of shrimp farms. Long supply chains and antibiotic resistance are consequences that also affect consumers in Switzerland. SwissShrimp AG is in the process of changing this.
Innovative approach of Swiss Shrimp AG
In this day and age, we don't want to do without foreign delicacies. Due to the long supply chain and the practice of raising shrimp with antibiotics, the impact on shrimp consumption is huge. After visiting shrimp farms abroad, the founders wanted to find an environmentally friendly, antibiotic-free alternative.
Approach
The solution came in the form of a vacant plot of land next to the Riburg salt works, a site of Swiss Salinen AG. The Swiss salt works comprise the salt supply of all of Switzerland. Due to the process of creating salt, the salt has residual heat. The circular economy is the starting point for Swiss Shrimp. Swiss Shrimp can use excess heat and salt from salt furnaces to heat several large brine baths. In this way SwissShrimp mimics the natural environment of shrimp and can therefore be produced in Switzerland.
What are the challenges?
The challenges in shrimp farming in Switzerland are diverse. First, there are no domestically produced shrimp feed suppliers in Switzerland. Shrimp are fed a mixture of fishmeal, fish oil and soybean meal. For Swiss Shrimp, only organic feed with the highest quality standards is used, which is why the company imports feed from France. SwissShrimp also has custom-designed shipping boxes that are manufactured overseas. Therefore, it is one of the company's main goals to further reduce its footprint.
SwissShrimp AG
What is the result (impact)?
SwissShrimp AG is now in its second year of entering the market and has been able to sustainably produce almost 20 tonnes and sell antibiotic-free shrimp in Switzerland. In this way, the company is contributing to SDG 3: Health and Wellbeing of sustainability-oriented consumers who would not do without shrimp. In addition, the company makes optimal use of the advantages of the Salinen AG location. In this way, SwissShrimp implements the idea of a circular economy, contributing to SDG 12 and also keeping the company's footprint as small as possible.
What vision does SwissShrimp AG pursue?
Swiss Shrimp's vision is to become even more sustainable and increase the share of domestically produced shrimp in the Swiss market. In concrete terms, this means continuously optimizing production and looking for alternatives in feed, packaging and transportation options that can further reduce a company's footprint. . SwissShrimp's long-term vision is to find a partner who wants to use the purified shells of shrimp, collected in tanks during the growth phase. Chitin is used in many ways, especially in foods and pharmaceuticals. If it is reused, the cycle of Swiss Shrimp und Salinen AG will spread.
Can the SwissShrimp solution be replicated and expanded?
In theory, the solution can be scaled up and multiplied well, but in practice it depends on suitable locations that will allow a closed-loop approach. In addition, the solution approach also depends heavily on consumer awareness and purchasing behavior. Swiss shrimp is twice as expensive as imported shrimp and is therefore a delicacy that some consumers may fall for as a cheaper alternative. However, we at Sustainable Business Today have long been convinced about Swiss Shrimp.