Page 49 - Green knowledge 2024

Photo: Anette Tjomsland Spilling
Profitable emissions-free greenhouse production
At Jæren, NIBIO Særheim is cultivating tomatoes and cucumbers with zero CO2 emissions.
Researchers now aim to increase tomato production while reducing energy consumption,
with the goal of making this emissions-free production method profitable by 2035.
The vegetables are cultivated in a closed, CO2-neu-
tral greenhouse. Solar energy heats the greenhouse
during the day, and surplus heat warms water that is
used to maintain high nighttime temperatures. LED
lights aid heat production and create optimal grow-
ing conditions. DAC technology from GreenCap
Solutions AS captures CO2 from outside air and
pumps it into the greenhouse, achieving an internal
CO2 concentration three times that of the outside.
Any CO2 emissions from the greenhouse are offset by
the external capture.
“The technology is unique, not only in Norway but
across the globe. The greenhouse industry can
reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 4 kg of CO2 per kg
of tomatoes produced,” says senior researcher Dr
Michel Verheul.
increase volume, enhance quality, and reduce elec-
tricity consumption.
“A more stable high CO2 concentration in the green-
house will increase crop yield and quality (sweeter
tomatoes). Additionally, we plan to lower electricity
usage by optimising climate control and equipment,”
says Dr Verheul.
The researchers will also examine how the system
can be scaled up.
“We intend to develop an analysis for scaling up in
Norway and globally, calculating yield expectations,
energy consumption, and economic costs. Our goal is
to establish an economically, environmentally, and
socially sustainable production system.”
Currently, the costs of investments, operations, elec-
tricity, and maintenance are too high for production
to be profitable. How to make the production eco-
nomically viable will now be explored. The aim is to
Purpose: Collaboration: Funding: Contact: In the EFREE-Green project, researchers aim to enhance production in emissions-free and profitable
greenhouses.
GreenCap Solutions AS, BOM-Group, Lauvsnes Gartneri AS, Blu Electro AS, Norwegian Institute for
Sustainability Research (NORSUS), University of Stavanger
The Research Council of Norway
Senior Research Scientist Michel Verheul, Division of Food Production and Society.
Email: michel.verheul@nibio.no | Phone: +47 934 08 525
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