Building Heat Conservation and the Feasibility of Solar Hot Water Heating in Long Island Shellfish Hatcheries

摘要

Temperature regulation is a vital component of any aquaculture system. Existing facilities can be retrofitted with extra insulation, waste heat recovery systems and in some cases, active solar water heating. Those aquaculture ventures that seek to raise organisms to market size under controlled conditions are currently hindered by high operating costs, including fuel. These outfits can also benefit from conservation and alternative energy technologies. In addition, the industry may be more willing to cultivate species normally restricted by climatic conditions if a less expensive source of heating were available. This report focuses on three of the bivalve shellfish aquaculture enterprises of Long Island, New York. In the 1978 to 1979 growing season, Long Island shellfish growers collectively burned over 50,000 gallons of heating oil to warm their hatchery waters and buildings. Since then, heating oil prices have doubled. Currently, some growers are limited by these fuel costs from beginning production earlier in the season. In this report, several heat conservation measures are discussed, and the feasibility of active solar hot water is examined. (ERA citation 10:031355)