Campus Greenhouse Project Provides Local Food and Research on Veggie Production in Cold Climates

1. Campus Greenhouse Project Provides Local Food and Research on Veggie Production in Cold Climates Susan E. Powers, PhD, PEDaegan Gonyer Clarkson University Potsdam NY

2. Problem – Mass-Production of Veggies • California farm density • “factory farm” approach • Water not adequate • Nutrient and pesticide pollution • Freight routes • Distribution networks http://www.nationalatlas.gov/natlas/Natlasstart.asp

3. Vision for Year-round Sustainable Food in Cold Climates • Controlled environment • Continuous production • Low land footprint • Local production • Technical Innovations • Aeroponic growth • LED lighting • Passive solar design w/ renewable energy inputs • Sensors and controls • Materials and energy recycling

5. Achieving this Vision • Laboratory Testing and Feasibility Assessment • Pilot scale facility – proof-of-concept • Business established • Larger Pilot – Quantifying yields and revenues • Full scale implementation 1 2

7. Efficient Lighting Systems • Maximum day lighting • LED supplemental lighting • Only photosynthetically active wavelengths • Red and blue (+violet) • Sensors and lighting control for suitable total lighting for each plant • 300 PPFD for lettuce • 650 PPFD for tomatoes

8. Resulting Pilot Greenhouse

9. Food Waste Digester 650 lb food/d 3 1,400-gallon digester reactors 20kW co-generation engine

10. Energy Cabin • Wood pellet boiler (20 kW) • Solar thermal supplemental hot water heating (2 kW) • Integrated hot water storage and control system • High net efficiency 85-92%

11. Food waste Anaerobic Digester Energy Cabin Plant wastes Effluent/nutrients Integrated System Cheel Food Green- house

12. Making it Happen • Funding: • Student funding McNair Scholars program • EPA P3 Phase 1 proposal funded ($10k) (2009) • EPA P3 competition  Phase II proposal funded ($75k) • Awards from several Business plan competitions • Digester donated – Feed Resource recovery • Energy Cabin donated – after used for research • Incorporate new company Blue Sphere Industries, Ltd. • Dominion Foundation grant to integrate system into classes Commitment: Clarkson University… • Supports students with innovative ideas • Provides opportunities for real-world engineering and business development and entrepreneurial experiences • Research • Capstone classes • SPEED program • Shipley Center for Entrepreneurship • Utilizes campus infrastructure as living-learning laboratory to promote sustainability education

13. On-Going Work • Greenhouse • Optimizing growth (lettuce) • Nutrient solution • Reduced temperature, lighting to save energy • Optimizing built system • Mathematical model for heat vs. light energy needs • Maximizing value of radiant energy gains • Assessment and redesign of aeroponic units • Anaerobic Digester • Acquisition and transport of food/organic wastes • Energy input/output

14. Key Points • New ideas for feeding our world’s population are critically needed. • High-tech solutions can overcome agricultural constraints for local food production • Enabling student ideas and educating through real-world projects is fun and rewarding as an educator

15. Thank you!