Green Energy in Alaska Mariculture Farm & Producers Survey Analysis
The Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) Green Energy in Mariculture (GEM) Project has released a report analyzing how Alaska’s mariculture industry uses energy and how it can transition toward cleaner, more efficient power sources. The study, funded through the Green Energy project component of the AMC grant and managed by Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation’s (AFDF) subaward, lays the groundwork for a more energy-efficient mariculture sector that minimizes reliance on fossil fuels.
Led by Dr. Chandler Kemp from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the GEM team includes researchers from UAA, UAS, and Alaska-based firms Rain Coast Data and Pacific Alternatives. Together, they worked with farmers, processors, and Tribal partners across Alaska to understand how energy is currently used at mariculture sites and how efficiency and renewable power can strengthen Alaska’s economy.
Between 2024 and 2025, Rain Coast Data conducted the first statewide energy-use survey of mariculture operations. Twenty-two farms and processors from around Alaska provided detailed information on their vessel fuel consumption, travel patterns, on-site power sources, and equipment. The survey included 36 questions that focused on a variety of mariculture energy expenses, such as travel modes, scale of operations, inventory, energy use, and access to markets, and respondents could also provide open-ended comments.
Key findings include:
- Average farm size: 45,000 pounds harvested annually with five workers per site.
- Travel patterns: Farmers visit their sites 113 times per year on average, typically traveling six nautical miles by boat at 21 knots.
- Fuel consumption: 75% of respondents use gasoline (848 gallons per year on average) and 25% use diesel (1,043 gallons).
- Power sources: 60% rely on generators at their remote site, 55% use energy from their vessels, and 10% connect to local electric grids.
- Processing facilities: Average 1,560 square feet in size, powered primarily by local hydropower, and operating in five communities.
