Solar-powered floating conveyor could handle 125,000 oysters a year in Maine
Researchers in Maine are testing a solar-powered, vertical conveyor system called 3D-COAST to automate oyster farming. The technology aims to increase production efficiency while reducing the manual labor required for tumbling and cleaning oysters.
Why it matters
This innovation could modernize the aquaculture industry by improving yield quality and reducing the physical demands on farmers through sustainable energy.
Engineers and aquaculture experts in mid-coast Maine are testing a solar-powered floating system that could change how oysters are farmed. The platform uses a vertical conveyor to move oyster baskets between coastal waters and the open air.The system, called 3D-COAST (3-Dimensional Cultivation of Oysters Automated with Solar Tumbling), is designed to produce up to 125,000 oysters each year from a single 8-by-25-foot floating raft. Its goal is to increase oyster production while greatly reducing the physical work required from farmers.The project is led by Luke Saindon, founder of Maine aquaculture company The World's Your Oyster Co. (TWIYO), with help from regional scientific institutions.Funding records from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE SARE) program show that $29,978 was awarded in 2025 under USDA project subaward FNE25-131.
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