Study on the Application of Solar Energy and Hydropower for Fish Farming to Generate Electricity

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study and develop an energy-efficient fish farming box with dimensions of 0.30m x 0.60m x 0.38m to provide a simple, efficient, energy-saving, cost-effective, designed for remote rural areas. But conventional fish farming boxes require electricity to power various devices, such as bright light bulbs and oxygenators. In this study, solar energy and hydropower were employed as alternative sources of electricity to replace the conventional household electricity, a natural resource that can be harnessed without limitations, free from fuel production costs, and environmentally friendly. Over the course of 8 days of experimentation, the average electricity output was found to be 110.37 W, with the maximum current reaching 8.30 A at 12:00 PM. When compared to regular fish farming boxes, this energy-efficient fish farming box can save approximately 1,938.53 Baht/year in electricity costs. Over 10 years of use, the total electricity cost savings amount to approximately 19,385.28 Baht, which is about seven times higher than those of conventional fish farming boxes. It was found that the average DO value in the energy-efficient fish tank using the waterwheel was 7.18 mg/l, while the average DO value in the regular water was 4.08 mg/l. This indicates a difference of 3.10 mg/l in the DO values between the two conditions.