Marine renewable energy (MRE; energy from the waves, tides, currents, and salinity or temperature gradients) has the potential to provide clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and while it has generally been thought of as providing power to the grid, it has a unique application in powering at-sea activities, particularly offshore. One such offshore activity is offshore aquaculture , particularly as this is a growing sector with interest in moving activities further offshore. Synergies between these industries arise as MRE can provide power for offshore aquaculture and can also decrease the environmental impact of aquaculture operations by providing power at sea and replacing the reliance on diesel.
This study aims to assess the feasibility for co-locating offshore integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and wave energy off Puerto Rico. IMTA allows the co-farming of fed species (e.g., fish), extractive species (e.g., shellfish), and macroalgae, increasing the sustainability of aquaculture. Using a power source like wave energy can further the sustainability of operations through employing renewable energy. An added benefit of co-location is that for offshore aquaculture, the resources needed to provide power with wave energy may already exist in the location of the aquaculture farm. In Puerto Rico, steps to understand the feasibility of co-locating wave energy and offshore IMTA include outreach and engagement with local stakeholders and communities , a comprehensive spatial analysis to identify potentially suitable areas for co-location (Figure 1), and field work to collect environmental data. The combination of these methods highlighted the potential for co-locating offshore IMTA and wave energy off Puerto Rico as well as important factors to consider for future development of these industries in the region.
In the U.S., similar studies have been carried out to understand how marine energy can power kelp or oyster aquaculture as well as powering onshore and nearshore community-scale aquaculture. These studies also show the possibility of bringing these marine-based industries together for sustainable marine development.