SBIR-STTR Award

Ocean Farm Technologies (OFT) proposes to examine using ocean wave energy to power offshore aquaculture. While developing offshore fish farming systems, OFT has recognized a pressing need for non-polluting, low-cost sources of power for system operations and diver support. The greatest need for power is in the form of pressurized air. OFT’s AquaPodTM containment system utilizes air for positioning in the water column and for rotation to support cleaning, maintenance, sorting, and harvesting. In addition, scuba air is routinely used for many husbandry tasks. This project will evaluate a promising way reduce the expense, noise, pollution, and inconvenience of present methods of providing compressed air. A wave-powered system will be designed and tested to evaluate its potential. We will analyze the system costs compared with existing methods. Results will provide the basis for detailed prototype system design to be developed, deployed, and evaluated under a Phase II effort. SUMMARY OF

Anticipated Results:
The proposed wave-powered system for producing compressed air will reduce the capital, energy, and labor costs associated with routine tasks associated with offshore fish farming. OFT intends to commercialize the resulting technology to enhance the performance of its AquapodTM system and market its use in the broader offshore aquaculture sector

Ocean Farm Technologies, Inc. (OFT) proposes to continue investigating using ocean wave energy in the form of compressed air to power open ocean aquaculture operations. In Phase I, OPT designed, built and began testing an affordable and efficient wave energy converter (WEC) that generated and stored compressed air. In Phase II OFT will demonstrate using compressed air from an improved WEC design to provide operational power for remote buoyancy and rotation control on AquapodTM net pens. The prototype "AirWEC" produced during Phase II will be lighter, more durable, and less expensive than the Phase I model based on the substantial experience gained from the feasibility study. Successful completion of Phase II will produce enough performance data to determine economic viability of this innovative technology and the potential size of its market. OFT intends to commercialize the resulting technology to enhance the performance of its Aquapod system and market the Air compression Wave Energy Converter (AirWEC) system in the broader open ocean aquaculture sector globally. SUMMARY OF

Anticipated Results:
OFT expects to demonstrate that safe, inexpensive and clean energy generated locally from a wave energy converter will provide ample energy for open ocean aquaculture farms. This will improve the economic viability of open ocean fish farming and help hasten the growth of this promising industry sector. The technologies to be developed under this project have the added benefit of contributing to fish health management by eliminating above- and under-water noise pollution and toxic fossil fuels