E.ON Benelux congratulates Happy Shrimp Farm on festive opening
Rotterdam, 1 September 2006 – Europe’s first sustainable tropical shrimp farm has been established just a stone’s throw from E.ON’s electricity power station on the Maasvlakte. The Happy Shrimp Farm raises jumbo shrimp using residual heat from the E.ON Benelux power station. The farm is based on the principle of co-citing or sustainable production thanks to locally present factors such as energy, utilities, residual products and space (land and infrastructure). The opening festivities for the shrimp farm are scheduled for 2 September 2006.
The method employed by HSF is a prime example of chain-innovation. Via a pipeline the farm takes residual heat from the combustion process at E.ON Benelux’s Maasvlakte power station. This heats 24 tanks in which tropical shrimp are raised. The company can now supply a range of day-fresh jumbo shrimp. The shrimp are distributed by Schmidt Zeevis of Rotterdam to 40 restaurants. Happy Shrimp Farm aims for annual production of 30 tons of shrimp.
Up to now jumbo shrimp have had to be imported – quite simply because the Dutch climate is too cold. And no single restaurant in Northern Europe has been able to serve day-fresh jumbo shrimp from Asia and South America– only frozen. The nearest farm operation for tropical shrimp is in Madrid.
Deliveries of day-fresh jumbo shrimp are planned for December of this year. There are no negative environmental effects from farming. Production is in a controlled situation with no exchange of materials with the environment.
Organisations supporting the Happy Shrimp Farm include the Rotterdam Port Authority, the Ministry of Economics Affairs, the Innovation Network (Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries) and ROM Rijnmond R3. For E.ON Benelux the collaboration with E.ON Benelux is a solid example of doing business in a socially responsible manner – which is one of the power company’s core values.
Edward Sigar, Director of E.ON Benelux: “We congratulate Gilbert Curtessi and Bas Greiner, who took the initiative, with the opening of the Happy Shrimp Farm. Collaboration with our power station’s new neighbours shows just how industry and the port complex of Rotterdam can introduce sustainable agro-industrial processes based on low-value residual heat and ambient co-site advantage – and so delivering fresh, tropical seafood on the local market. Apart from being energy efficient, this project also has an environmental advantage, since the shrimp algae eat CO2 – a small step today, but maybe a giant leap for our environment tomorrow.”