SalMar turns to solar power at key smolt plant
The salmon farming company SalMar has opened a large solar cell plant at one of its smolt production sites in Trøndelag county, Norway.
The move is being hailed as a significant step forward towards establishing a reliable and sustainable energy supply for the facility.
Energy shortages are not unknown in the area and it is an issue which has been hindering economic development, say developers.
The project is being led by SalMar, along with the power company NTE and the solar energy company Sunday Power.
Sunday Power says that over 100 industrial parks in Norway are struggling to access enough power. The Tjuin industrial site in Malm, where the project is located, is one of them.
“Without new and local energy production, it will be difficult to attract new companies or ensure growth for existing players,” said Sunday Power.
All of the electricity produced at SalMar’s new solar cell plant is used directly in production. This relieves the already strained power grid in the area.
Mats Langseth, Sustainability Manager at SalMar, said: “At this plant, we produce around 20 million smolt a year - that’s the basis for almost half a billion dinners. This also means a lot of electricity consumption. The building accounts for over 10% of the electricity consumption of the entire SalMar group.”
He added: “This makes it extra important and gratifying to see that we are able to implement measures where it really pays off. This is an important step in SalMar’s green transition - and a contribution to the green transition in the local community.”
The plant at Tjuin is developed and operated by Sunday Power, and is owned by NTE. The model makes it possible for property owners to get solar power on their roofs without investing themselves.
The electricity is used directly in the building, cutting both costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Christian Stav, CEO of NTE, said: “The climate challenge is still the biggest challenge of our time – even in a turbulent geopolitical situation. In Norway, too, we have a big job to do to become a renewable society. Some 50% of the energy used in Norway is fossil. Therefore, we must use all the opportunities we have, and local energy production will only become more important in the future.”
Jonas Ibsen Brynildsrud, CEO of Sunday Power, praised SalMar for the initiative and said it is a “…forward-thinking player that is taking the lead in solving the power crisis with its own roofs.”
He added: “We are very proud to be part of this project. The collaboration shows what values can be created on a roof that would otherwise have been empty, without making new interventions in nature.”
Find more sources of expertise on green energy and environmental solutions in the Fish Farmer Business Directory.
Why not try these links to see what our Fish Farmer AI can tell you.
(Please note this is an experimental service)
You May Also Like
Sign up to our daily Newsletters
Permission Statement
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from Fish Farmer Magazine
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.
© 2025 Fish Farmer.