Grantee Research Project Results
2011 Progress Report: Sustainable Year-Round Food Production in Cold Climates
EPA Grant Number: SU834757Title: Sustainable Year-Round Food Production in Cold Climates
Investigators: Powers, Susan E. , Gonyer, Daegan A.J. , Bernat, Jonathan , Hewitt, Gregory , Wetmore, Travis , McDonough, Sky , Jones, Shaun , Collins, Emily , Guethle, Michael , Wolf, Gerlinde , Jesanis, Gregory , Stachowski, Eileen , Xu, Bu , Gu, Zhengteng , Liu, Yiyang , Ma, Yan , Marsh, Ethan , Bogdan, Shane , Orcutt, Nick , Howard, Courtland , Yin, Billy , Ranninger, Barbara , Bonnell, Sean
Current Investigators: Powers, Susan E. , Gonyer, Daegan A.J.
Institution: Clarkson University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: II
Project Period: August 15, 2010 through August 14, 2012
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 15, 2010 through August 14,2011
Project Amount: $75,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet - Phase 2 (2010) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The primary goal of the project is to complete the design, feasibility, analysis, and impact assessment of a pilot Control Environment High Rise Farm (CEHRF) to provide year round food using sustainable water and energy approaches. The system will use artificial lighting, climate control, and night time insulation for energy savings.
- The specific tasks that were addressed in the past year include:
- Build a pilot scale CEHRF greenhouse on Clarkson University’s campus
- Design, build and integrate all of the system components that comprise the pilot greenhouse
- Begin operating the greenhouse
- Develop a busines plan for the next larger scale for the CEHRF system
Progress Summary:
The pilot greenhouse was constructed during the Fall 2010 semester and operated in the Spring 2011 semester. Lettuce and microgreens were successfully grown during the winter and spring months.
The greenhouse structure was designed based on passive solar principles. Three of the walls, the floor and the roof are fabricated from R-30 structural insulated panels (SIPs) and the south wall is made from R-3 corrugated polyethylene. Collectively, these two materials strive to maximize daylight and minimize heat losses. Heat gains from the sun were substantial, even in February, when temperatures inside the greenhouse were over 70°F without supplemental heat. Supplemental heat was provided with an electric water heater and baseboards as a temporary system while the energy cabin was installed.
• Growing System: The aeroponic growing system was designed and constructed by our student leader, Daegan Gonyer. It provides intermittent spray (~5 seconds each minute) and drains excess water back into the water supply tank for conservation of water and nutrients. The greenhouse currently has ten 2’ x 4’ aeroponic units.
• Sensors and Controls: The students designed, purchased and installed all of the sensors and controls for the greenhouse system. The heating and lighting systems are controlled to provide appropriate amounts, while still conserving energy to the extent possible. Other systems (water pH and electric conductivity, water depth, and humidity) are measured continuously and recorded, but not controlled.
• Heating System: An energy cabin with solar thermal and pellet boiler hot water system provides heat to the greenhouse through standard radiators that are thermostat controlled.
• Lighting system: An LED lighting system has been installed with 75% red and 25% blue light spectrum bulbs. This system is designed to provide only the wavelengths required for photosynthesis, and not waste electric energy on wavelengths that are not important to plants. The efficiency of the system is further enhanced by turning on only enough of the lights to meet the lighting needs of the particular plant.
For example, on a grey day, ~50% of the lights will be on.
Lettuce and microgreens have successfully grown in the greenhouse in cold months. The rates of growth and optimization of the best conditions for growth will be monitored and quantified over the next year.
On the business development front, three of the students have started their own business – Blue Sphere Industries, Inc. to expand the development and operation of CEHRF greenhouses in cold climates. The business plan for the next size system – 100 aeroponic units - was developed by the student team and has been submitted to three business plan student competitions. Students have received several prizes for this work that helps to supplement the EPA P3 funds and get the fledgling student business off the ground. The 100unit system will also be on Clarkson’s campus and will explore the value of renovating under-utilized building space for food production.
Future Activities:
The EPA P3 project is well underway and has provided an opportunity to develop both the technology and business aspects of this concept, as well as a great educational environment for an interdisciplinary group of students. The project will continue throughout the next several years as more data are collected to quantify the system inputs and outputs, thereby enabling the business plan and environmental assessments to be refined and reconsidered.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 9 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
local food, energy efficiency, LED lighting, aeroponics, greenhouse, controlled environment high rise farmingRelevant Websites:
CEHRF Clarkson Univ. Project Website Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractP3 Phase I:
Sustainable Year-Round Food Production in Cold Climates | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.