Posted
Update
Article written by
In some sectors, energy sobriety plans are difficult to envisage. This is particularly the case with aquariums, since the water of certain species must be maintained at a tropical temperature. Report at the Grau-du-Roi Seaquarium, whose energy bills have doubled in one year.
Believing yourself on the open sea is a journey that costs more and more. In Grau-du-Roi (Gard), you have to take care of thousands of fish, by heating or cooling their pond. Between material, food and electricity, the charges increase. Filtration must also be carried out 24 hours a day, a matter of survival for the animals. “Despite the crisis, we have to do everything we can for the aquarium, but also for the animals. (…) They need precise lighting, between 8 am and 8 pm”notes Benjamin Lafon, care technician at the Seaquarium.
In the engine room, the pumps are constantly running. The energy bill doubled in a few months, reaching 400,000 euros. Today, the management is exploring all avenues to save money, in particular thanks to the installation of photovoltaic panels or the development of geothermal energy, as explained by Jean-Marc Groult, the director of the Seaquarium. The entrance ticket, at 16 euros, will not increase.