120 t/yr semi-intensive vannamei farm — solar-hybrid retrofit Latin America (Pacific coast)
Scope: 14 ha of lined ponds, paddlewheel + central aeration, brackish intake with reservoir and settling pond, PV + LFP battery + diesel backup.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 3.4–3.9M class-3, ±20%
Timeline
9 months from RFQ to first cycle
Outcome: Diesel spend reduced ~70% vs baseline modelling; independent CAPEX benchmark used to secure DFI-linked working-capital facility.
Lessons
• Reservoir + settling capacity was the single largest bankability improvement • Solar-hybrid sizing had to prioritise aeration continuity, not headline PV kWp • Two-supplier aeration split (paddlewheel + central) simplified maintenance Solar shrimp archetype 500 t/yr indoor tilapia RAS — greenfield Scope: Grow-out + nursery, MBBR biofilter, drum filters, O₂ cones, degassers, HVAC, monitoring, HACCP-ready processing tie-in.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 11–13M class-3, ±20%
Timeline
18 months incl. civil
Outcome: Neutral RFQ produced 3 comparable bids inside ±8% envelope; sponsor selected mid bid on schedule and warranty grounds.
Lessons
• Standardised biofilter sizing rules removed 60% of bid variance • Energy resilience (solar + gen backup) moved from 'nice to have' to a lender requirement • Processing tie-in specified at RFQ stage avoided a costly retrofit 500-t RAS archetype Off-grid smolt / fingerling hatchery — 100% PV + battery Scope: Broodstock + larval + live-feed rooms, dual water source with UV/ozone, PV + LFP battery + diesel emergency-only.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 2.6–3.1M class-3, ±25%
Outcome: Fuel logistics risk removed; project qualified for green-finance line at reduced spread vs baseline commercial loan.
Lessons
• Battery sized to 12-hour aeration + LSS autonomy — not 24-hour full load • Two independent water treatment trains preserved biosecurity during maintenance • Genset kept for emergencies only — dropped from 3,500 to <300 hours/yr Off-grid solar hatchery Farmed fish processing plant — EU export ready Scope: Reception, filleting, IQF, packing, cold storage, reefer dock, effluent treatment; layout designed for BRC + EU approval.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 6.5–7.8M class-3, ±20%
Outcome: First export container within 45 days of commissioning; buyer contracts signed at RFQ stage using FishMatch's neutral spec.
Lessons
• Freezer capacity was the binding constraint — sized on peak, not average, throughput • Traceability system chosen at RFQ stage passed BRC on first attempt • Reefer dock layout designed for two container turns per shift Processing plant archetype Regional cold-chain hub for farmed shrimp Scope: Blast freezer + cold storage + reefer yard for aggregated shrimp exports; integrated with 3 upstream farms.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 4.2–5.0M class-3, ±25%
Outcome: Aggregation reduced per-tonne cold logistics cost ~22% vs farm-by-farm baseline; supported switch from air to sea reefer for two lanes.
Lessons
• Aggregation across sponsors only worked with a neutral operator and shared traceability • Blast freezer sized to Chinese New Year peak, not annual average • Buffer racking added +6% CAPEX but removed downstream reefer demurrage Cold chain archetype 250 t/yr solar-hybrid RAS — grid-tied hybrid Scope: Grow-out RAS with PV + LFP battery + grid; load-shifted aeration and pumping to daylight window.
CAPEX (class-3)
USD 6.8–8.0M class-3, ±20%
Outcome: Modelled 5–7 year payback on solar+storage adder vs grid-only baseline; project reached lender's minimum DSCR at base scenario.
Lessons
• Load-shift schedule had to respect biofilter O₂ demand, not just peak-shave economics • Battery cycled ~1 full cycle/day — LFP chemistry warranted the CAPEX premium • Grid tariff structure (peak/off-peak) drove PV+battery sizing more than kWh volume Solar-hybrid RAS archetype 
