Emerald Acres Canada Ltd.

Emerald Acres Canada Ltd.

Emerald Acres Canada Ltd.

Using waste to increase food security and energy independence.

Rosetown, SK S0L, Canada

CAN

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

—

Communities in climates that cannot produce food year-round are susceptible to supply chain interruptions and pricing fluctuations. This solution uses waste produced by the community and surrounding area to provide heating and electricity for a year-round greenhouse and compost operation that uses no hydrocarbons. This greenhouse will be run on regenerative agriculture principles and will therefore have no input requirements. This eliminates reliance on deliveries to the most isolated of communities.

Waste is processed through a pyrolysis kiln which turns the waste into a stable carbon product that is capable of adsorbing air and water contaminants. The process produces a large amount of heat which can be harvested and circulated through a radiant heat system for the soil in the greenhouse. A greenhouse run on regenerative agriculture principles allows for the radiant heat system, which is much more efficient than the forced air systems that are currently used. The no-dig approach, building on the Three Sisters system, means the radiant heat system can be used. Additional heat can be harvested for a distillation service if the community is also in need of drinking water. Heat can also be used for heating households or a community building.

This system is sized for communities that are between 1,000 and 10,000 people, depending on the resources of the surrounding area. For example, a community with a large agricultural component can use agricultural waste to supplement household waste. Communities in cold climates typically import most of their produce because, typically, using an artificial growing environment means high utility inputs, which decreases neither costs nor carbon footprint. Smaller communities generally have larger transportation costs because they have limited options at various times of the year.