Partners
The Mediterranean Regional Shellfish Farming Committee (Comité Régional de Conchyliculture de Méditerranée (CRMC))
The Thau Basin Joint Syndicate (Syndicat Mixte du Bassin de Thau (SMBT))
Finances
Equity
French State
Hérault Prefecture
Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region
The SolarinThau Project
The Mediterranean Regional Shellfish Farming Committee (Comité régional de conchyliculture de Méditerranée (CRCM)), the Thau Basin Joint Syndicate (Syndicat mixte du bassin de Thau) and SolarinBlue, working together as a consortium, are taking on a major challenge: the creation of a prototype floating photovoltaic shellfish farm for the cultivation of oysters and mussels.
Picture SolarinThau being towed towards the Thau lagoon; Copyright DTS & SolarinBlue
Named SolarinThau and supported by the State, the Hérault Prefecture and the Occitanie Region, this demonstrator project addresses a strong ambition: to imagine new solutions to support the future of the shellfish farming sector – which produces more than 10,000 tons of oysters and mussels annually, has more than 1,000 shellfish farming tables, and represents more than 1,500 jobs – while also addressing the energy and environmental challenges of the region.
Measuring 52 by 18 meters – the dimensions of a typical oyster-farming table on the Thau Lagoon – this next-generation oyster-farming demonstrator will be tested over an 18-month period, from July 2026 to December 2027. Matching the average duration of a full oyster-farming cycle, this experimental phase will provide the necessary conditions to assess the prototype’s effectiveness and operational viability.
Key Figures
- 52 x 18 meters
- 10 tons of oysters
A Pioneering Project, Carried Out by a Consortium
The SolarinThau consortium is supported by the French government and the Occitanie region. It brings together the Mediterranean Regional Shellfish Farming Committee (CRCM), the Thau Basin Joint Authority (SMBT) and SolarinBlue.
Based on SolarinBlue’s technology, the SolarinThau project is a first in the Mediterranean and worldwide.
A Project Currently Being Rolled Out
The tow from the Port of Sète to the Thau Lagoon took place on Sunday 7 June 2026.
The launch of SolarinThau is scheduled for early July.
