VENTURE ANALYSES FOR INTENSIVE WASTE HEAT AQUACULTURE

Abstract

ABSTRACTPotential economic viability of diseasonal aquaculture of the shrimp Macrobrachium rosenbergii and rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri during the warmer and colder months, respectively in heated effluents, is examined for a proposed commercial aquaculture facility located at an electric generating station near Trenton, New Jersey, where land cost and availability are at a premium. These conditions are representative of many power plant sites in the United States. Analyses assume a fixed acquisition cost for the aquaculture facility and different possible production levels per raceway for rainbow trout. In addition, impact of a waste heat aquaculture industry on the [J.S. fish market is examined assuming 10% of all fossil‐fired electric generating stations within the U.S. developed this industry.Economic analyses indicate that a concrete raceway 30.5 m long, 3.1 m wide, and 2.4 m deep is the most economical production unit. This unit will be evaluated during the next 2.5 years at a demonstration aquaculture facility located at the Mercer Generating Station owned by Public Service Electric and Gas Company. Other participants in this research project are Trenton State College, Rutgers University, and Long Island Oyster Farms. The project is jointly sponsored by the National Science Foundation (Research Applied to National Needs Program) and Public Service Electric and Gas Company.