Umeå Becomes a Testbed for Circular Fish and Shrimp Farming, Awarded €7 Million in EU Funding
A land-based fish and shrimp farm in Umeå may become a reality through a new collaboration between the Municipality of Umeå, Umeå Energi, RISE, and the Umeå Plant Science Centre at Umeå University. The initiative is funded within the EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe.
Circular Solutions for Increased Self-Sufficiency
The main investment is a land-based fish and shrimp farming facility where surplus heat from Umeå Energi’s combined heat and power plant is used to create an integrated and climate-smart aquaculture system.
“This is an important step in Umeå’s green transition and demonstrates that our work with circular solutions is of a high international standard. The initiative strengthens our self-sufficiency, increases resilience, and reduces climate emissions by replacing imported food with local production,” says Hans Lindberg, Chair of the Municipal Executive Board, Municipality of Umeå.
The project will start in the spring, with the aim of developing a pilot facility for integrated fish and shrimp farming in Umeå. A digital twin will be developed to optimise heat and water flows within the system, in close collaboration with Umeå Energi, which supplies residual heat from a combined heat and power plant. The project is a practical example of industrial and urban symbiosis, where resources that were previously wasted create new value.
Residual Heat Driving Sustainable Food Production
“We now have the opportunity to practically test how our residual heat can form the basis for circular collaboration between several actors—and enable local fish and shrimp farming. With the help of digital tools, we can also optimise heat flows and create a more resource-efficient system,” says Jörgen Carlsson-Noël, Business Developer at Umeå Energi AB.
Test Facility Relocated from Västervik to Umeå
A test facility currently operating in Västervik will, through the project, be scaled up and relocated to Umeå to further develop the farming technology.
The integrated farming system is based on the principles of IMTA – Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture. This means that several species are cultivated together in a circular system where by-products from one species become resources for another. In this way, a more resource-efficient and climate-smart form of aquaculture is created.
“The move to Umeå allows us to take our aquaculture system from the pilot stage to full-scale production of fish and shrimp. Here we have access to residual heat, a strong research environment, and the collaboration needed to truly scale up production,” says Olivier Keech, researcher and entrepreneur at Umeå University.
The project is implemented within the EU programme NetZeroCities and is carried out in collaboration with five other European cities: Espoo (Finland), Prato (Italy), Lagoa – Azores (Portugal), Maribor (Slovenia), and Fingal County Council (Ireland). Together, the cities will exchange knowledge on how circular urban systems can contribute to the EU’s climate goals.
Facts: Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)
IMTA is a sustainable method in which several species are cultivated together in a circular system where by-products from one species become resources for another. This reduces environmental impact, improves resource efficiency, and creates a more stable farming environment.
Caption: Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farmed in a biofloc-based system, where microorganisms naturally recirculate nutrients and improve animal health.
Photo: Sergio Zimmermann
Text: Municipality of Umeå