Together with its partner Erwin Sander Elektroapparatebau GmbH, the AWI develops and tests an integrated aquaculture based on recirculating systems. The breeding of fast-growing marine warm water species, the Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), and the tropical saltwater shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei is to be combined with the production of halophytes (salt-tolerant plants) and a carbonation of accumulating solids. By the intelligent use of the material flows of a land-based marine warm water aquaculture for fish and shrimp new, commercially interesting products will be produced, but above all the loads of the waste water and residual material flows will be optimized in terms of nutrient and particle load and prepared for discharge.

Within the framework of the project, the basic data for the structural and production design of the pilot plant will first be compiled on the basis of scientific experiments with grouper and shrimp at the AWI. With regard to the breeding of salt-tolerant plants, different cultivation methods will be scientifically investigated with focus on growth but also space utilization and the husbandry parameters for interesting candidates. Furthermore, the material and energy flows of halophyte and aquatic animal husbandry will be recorded. The balancing of these data will be incorporated into the structural design of the pilot plant.

The company Erwin Sander Elektroapparatebau GmbH will be responsible for the implementation of the pilot system. Besides the conception and construction of both breeding areas, the coupling of animal and plant breeding and the test run on an application-oriented scale will be carried out here.

In order to be able to use the residual substances resulting from the production of marine fish or shrimps and halophytes (faeces, bacterial biomass, plant material, other residual substances) effectively, the carbonisation of these substances by means of the HTC process to a high-quality biochar is being investigated. Using residues from saltwater animal husbandry, carbonization experiments are carried out to investigate the effects of specific characteristics of these residues on the carbonization process and to perform material and energy balancing.