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An aerial view High Country Salmon farm to the left of the State Highway 8 bridge and the Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Operation to the right in the Ōhau B c
Salmon farms team up to go electric and save 70,000 litres of diesel a year
(NEW ZEALAND, 1/31/2023)
A pair of salmon farms in the heart of the Mackenzie Basin’s hydroelectric country in the South Island have joined forces to be on the verge of switching to electricity.
The switch by Mt Cook Alpine Salmon and High Country Salmon, who farm either side of the State Highway 8 bridge across the Meridian Energy-owned Ōhau B hydro canal near Twizel, will see diesel generators turned off and their combined carbon emissions slashed by 96%.
 Karl French, general manager of High Country Salmon, said massive diesel generators had provided the power they needed for hygienic production, cold chain management and running a cafe, but with the two businesses burning through a combined 70,000 litres a year, the recent spike in diesel prices gave them an additional push to take action.
“I’d been forecasting our fuel costs to double to as much as $14,000 a month in 2023. The generators had clearly become an economic as well as a sustainability burden, so we knew we had to act,” French says.
“This is a huge change,” French said in adding he expected electricity costs to be around $6000 a month.
 “It’s a game-changer for us ... it’s pretty exciting.
“We will be able to look at gear like air conditioning for the cafe ... we’ve previously been so limited with the generators.”
 Rick Ramsay, environmental manager for Mt Cook Alpine Salmon said both companies had wanted to stop using diesel generators for some time, but the cost and complexity of building a connection from a substation 1.5 kilometres from Lake Ruataniwha for just one party meant it had not been feasible.
“We have carbon reduction targets to meet under our Emissions Reduction Plan, and sustainability is core to both our businesses,” Ramsay said.
“We’re operating in a pristine natural setting and need to do everything possible to maintain the quality of our water and environment.”
The problem for the farms was that despite being a stone’s throw from the Ohau B power station, the canals and surrounding land were not originally planned to support commercial activity.
 The solution came from Network Waitaki, which worked with the salmon farms and local landowners to develop a technical and commercial solution which would work for all parties.
 “Electricity plays a key role to enable our customers’ decarbonisation plans and this project clearly aligns with our sustainability goals,” Geoff Douch, chief executive for Network Waitaki, said.
Meridian Energy estimates the switch from diesel to electricity will reduce the businesses’ combined emissions by 96% and save 224 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent every year, the same impact as removing 77 cars from the region’s roads.
Meridian’s Paul Lloyd said the company provided encouragement, assistance and resources for the project, including engineering support and land for the new infrastructure.
“Getting businesses off fossil fuels is a major part of our Climate Action Plan. In many cases, it’s far from straightforward and requires major financial commitment and planning.
.jpg) “We’re really happy the farms have reduced their carbon footprints so significantly. It puts both businesses well on track to meet their sustainability goals and targets,” Lloyd said.
French said the switch will make it possible for High Country Salmon to expand its future operations.
“We can now look at introducing a bespoke salmon processing facility, and bring in equipment to turn our waste streams into pet food and other products. It’s going to have really positive impacts across our entire business.”
The connection is expected to go live late January or early February.
Information of the company:
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Address:
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Tekapo Pukaki Hydro Canal Rd, Off State Highway 8
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City:
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Twizel
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State/ZIP:
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South Island
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Country:
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New Zealand
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Phone:
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+64 (03) 435 0018
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Fax:
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+64 (0) 21 370 038
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E-Mail:
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info@alpinesalmon.co.nz
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Skype:
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https://www.instagram.com/alpinesalmon/?hl=en
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More about: 
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