Himoinsa for the Salmon Evolution

Himoinsa relaesed HGY gensets to provide backup power to ‘Salmon Evolution’, Norway’s player of land-based salmon farming projects. Three Himoinsa generator sets with capacity from 1250 kW to 2000 kW, are currently operating at the salmon facility, installed during the first phase of this large-scale project. The HGY Series is powered by Yanmar engines, ranging from 1250kVA to 3500kVA (future plan up to 4000kVA) and it was unveiled during a great show at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Himoinsa together with Østerbø Solutions, partner for 25 years, have delivered the largest emergency Power Solutions for land-based fish farms in Norway. 

The relationship between a Himoinsa genset and land-based salmon farm

The emergency power core for ‘Salmon Evolution’ consists of Himoinsa HGY Series generator sets, models HGY-2350 D5 PRP, a solution designed to operate in mission-critical applications such as this industrial salmon production facility. This is because a power outage would compromise oxygenation levels, temperature and water quality, and could lead to significant biological losses. At this salmon facility, continuity of power supply is not an added value, but a basic condition for viability. HIMOINSA’s HGY solution provides nearly 2 MW of emergency power to the hydraulic heart of the plant.

In this context, Himoinsa has supplied the HGY-2350 D5 PRP, through its local distributor Østerbø, meeting the requirements for continuous supply in emergency mode to power the main pumping system. The project ensures the continuous operation of the industrial salmon plant, reducing the likelihood of power failure, and guaranteeing an immediate response to any incident in the public grid. HIMOINSA’s HGY Series, specifically designed for mission-critical applications, guarantees high available power, immediate response and maximum reliability in continuous operation.

The HGY Series provides advanced solutions for critical power supply, setting itself apart with engine start-up in less than 8 seconds and under ISO 8525-5 class G3 conditions. The HGY-2350 D5 PRP model supplied incorporates a Yanmar engine 12GY175L.DF5F with the most advanced technology and has been designed to work with demanding loads and maintain stability in scenarios of high continuous demand.

About the Control Unit

The unit is also equipped with a parallel operation system using a DSE8610 control unit, which allows for secure synchronization with other equipment, automatic transfer in the event of a mains failure and efficient load management. This control architecture ensures that the HGY Series not only provides available power, but also precise and coordinated control of the backup system, in line with the requirements of a high-risk biological environment such as the salmon industry in Norway.

Three Himoinsa generator sets are currently operating at the salmon facility, installed during the first phase of this large-scale project. One of the generators is dedicated to the fjord water pumping system, while the other two focus on the emergency supply of the entire tank system, buildings, and critical systems. This set of generators ensures the operational continuity of the production process from the outset.

With the addition of the HGY Series generator, the facility takes a qualitative leap forward in its power infrastructure. This new equipment reinforces the existing system and prepares the plant for the expected growth in production, ensuring that power availability keeps pace with the industrial expansion of the project in Indre Harøy.

Installation and commissioning of the HGY Series

The installation of the HGY Series, carried out by Østerbø, was performed in Salmon Evolution’s already built and operational salmon facility, which presented both an engineering and logistical challenge. The generator set was introduced through a narrow cavity, requiring extremely precise loading and movement operations with very limited room for maneuver.

For a successful installation, specific solutions were implemented for integration with the existing infrastructure:

• Upper cable outlet, designed to connect to the main busbar of the emergency system without modifying the architecture of the room.
• Exhaust system adapted to the structure, with anchors calculated according to the original building design.
• Internal tank with guaranteed minimum autonomy, fed in turn by a common external tank that also supplies the other three generator sets already installed.

Although the installation is located in a room in the building, the region’s climate — cold, wet and unfavorable for much of the year — requires the equipment to offer safety even in low-temperature scenarios. The HGY Series responds to this with its preheating system, ensuring immediate start-up in emergencies and reducing motor wear. The configuration has been designed to respond without restrictions in environments where a power failure would have a direct impact on biological production.

And about Salmons and Norway

“This relationship has been strengthened through flagship projects in the country. More than 50 MW of emergency power to land-based fish farms in the period 2023-2025. We can double this volume if we count emergency power to the whole aquaculture industry in this period. The shared vision remains intact: to raise the standard of energy projects in Norway and support customers in applications where availability and power supply are everything”, says Magne Halland, Department Manager from Østerbø Solutions AS.

Norway is a world leader in salmon production and, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council, exported 1,255,654 tons of farmed salmon in 2024.

“Salmon Evolution considers these backup power units as critical systems to ensure water and oxygen supply to the fish tanks in the event of a power outage. We have experienced several power outages where the backup power units have started and delivered power as they should. We are satisfied with the dialogue and cooperation we have with Østerbø Solution and Himoinsa”, says Hallgeir Øyen, Technical Manager Power and Automation from Salmon Evolution.