Greenhouse waste products fuel innovation
Chatham partnership pairs tomato grower with alcohol-producing plant
An infusion of $3.7 million in federal money will close the loop on an $8-million project to send waste heat and carbon dioxide from a Chatham alcohol-producing plant to a nearby greenhouse.
And the recycling of greenhouse waste material will create a new partnership between Truly Green Farms greenhouse and Greenfield Global.
“We believe, as a company, in the circular economy ... that someone’s waste is somebody else’s valuable feedstock,” John Wilkinson, senior vice-president of sustainability for Greenfield, said during a funding announcement on Monday.
He said the partnership will create jobs and be good for the environment.
Citing the value Truly Green will get from waste heat and carbon dioxide from the production of corn-based alcohol, Wilkinson said Greenfield also sees a future where the organic waste from a greenhouse “can actually be the feedstock for new biofuels that can be sold around the world.”
He added, “This will reduce the carbon footprint and get us back in balance with Mother Nature.”
Specifically, Wilkinson said it is believed the waste from tomato plants could one day help fuel jet airplanes.
“There’s a lot of work that we’re doing as a company to unlock that and we think that’s what the world needs in the 21st century,” he said.
Greenfield Global, Canada’s largest ethanol producer, has patented technology that treats cellulosic material, such as corn stover or organic clippings from a greenhouse, Wilkinson said.
He added the company has invented a new, two-stage anaerobic digester, noting there is a demonstration at the Chatham plant, led by scientists, working at the company’s Centre of Excellence.
The strengthened relationship between Greenfield and Truly Green gives them a “leg up” to find new biofuels for jet engines, Wilkinson said.
Greg Devries, president of Truly Green, said the future endeavour will certainly benefit the greenhouse, which has 45 acres of tomatoes in production and plans to double in size.
He said being able to ship plant waste across that currently goes to the landfill will help save costs and return the favour to Greenfield Global.
Devries said the partnership of using waste heat and carbon dioxide will benefit Truly Green when the new Dutch technology is installed and begins operating on Dec. 1.
He said the 600 gallons of steam per minute that pour out of the large stack at Greenfield Global will be captured as hot water and transferred under the road and used to heat the greenhouse.
“We’re hoping at full build-out, when we get up to 90 acres of production, that roughly 50 per cent of our heating demand will be met with the waste from across the road,” Devries said.
Peter Fragiskatos, MP for London North Centre, who made the funding announcement on behalf of the agriculture minister, said this type collaboration between companies is something that needs to be seen across Canada.
“You rarely see collaboration like this,” he said.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope said what’s happening at Truly Green and Greenfield Global has attracted visitors from around the world.
“We’re actually the leaders in North America with this facility as it’s being done,” he said.