Tag Archives: innovation
The Future of Farming, Part 1: Controlling the Environment
By Ned Madden TechNewsWorld 08/06/13 “We’re in the midst of a global movement, and the demand for locally grown, organic produce has never been stronger,” said Greengro Technologies CEO James Haas, “but the biggest problem is that in our society in the U.S., everybody stopped doing basic food-security things — like, for example, collecting seeds. … “Urban growers have to take personal responsibility for what they grow and eat.” Famine… or feast? Soil… or hydroponics, aquaponics, aquaculture or aeroponics? Nine billion hungry human beings will be living on planet Earth by 2050, according to United Nations estimates. “We will need to produce more food in the first half of this century than we did in the previous 100 centuries combined,” declared Tony Kajewski, an engineering manager at John Deere and president of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers . http://www.ectnews.c…4&ign=0/ign.gif Along with an increasing population, the world faces climate change, rising fossil fuel prices, ecosystem degradation, and water and land scarcity — all of which are making today’s food production methods increasingly unsustainable, according to “Latest Agricultural Technology Innovation,” a November 2012 report from Kachan & Co. There’s an upside to all this flux and food insecurity, however. The need for solutions is driving important new agricultural innovations — in particular, urban agriculture and indoor cultivation. Farming has migrated from the fields to the cities and moved into the developed environment. Urban Agriculture and CEA Urban agriculture involves growing plants and raising animals within and around cities. Urban agriculture means food production in densely populated areas, and it features many types of production systems, including traditional open gardens, protected environments and hydroponic greenhouses. Indoor farming goes by many names: “all-season farming,” “undercover agronomy,” “commercial indoor cultivation” and “controlled environment agriculture,” or CEA, to name a few. Entrepreneurial types are converting unused factories, warehouses, office buildings and other facilities into urban farms. Many are building new glasshouse greenhouses for that superior mix of natural sunlight and the powerful artificial lights favored in grow rooms. Urban agriculture offers a promising path toward the goal of feeding the planet’s growing — and increasingly urban — population. Many of the tools to make that path viable come from CEA. CEA involves a combination of engineering, plant science and computer-managed facility control technologies used to optimize plant growing systems, plant quality and production efficiency. In addition to indoor crop farming, CEA is used in research at universities and corporate laboratories. It is useful for isolating specific environmental variables for closer study. For example, researchers may study photosynthesis by comparing a crop grown with induction lighting vs. one grown with LEDs. The advantage is that all other factors can be kept constant, reducing the incidence of another influence on the experiment. CEA has celestial applications as well. NASA pioneered “astroculture” by flying a plant growth facility on nine Space Shuttle missions, including one in 1995 in which potatoes were grown in weightlessness. Some of the research on the International Space Station anticipates traveling beyond low-Earth orbit, focusing on meeting the needs of a long-term spaceflight to Mars, for example. A group of engineers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are developing an ISS plant habitat with a large growth chamber to learn the effects of long-duration microgravity exposure to plants in space. CEA is “an integrated science- and engineering-based approach to provide specific environments for plant productivity while optimizing resources including water, energy, space, capital and labor,” according to Gene A. Giacomelli, PhD, director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and a professor in the Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Arizona. In CEA, conventional aquaculture (fish farming) has merged with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) to produce bio-integrated “aquaponics,” a sustainable food production system that mixes vegetable and herb crops and aquatic life in a closed-loop, recirculating, symbiotic environment. “Aeroponics” is a method of growing plants without soil by suspending them above misting sprays that constantly moisten the roots with water and nutrients. Controlled variables include temperature, humidity, pH and nutrient analysis. Aquaponics is essentially an organic hydroponic system, explained Rebecca Nelson, co-owner of Nelson and Pade , which markets its Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems for commercial ventures and other applications. “The plant production part of the system doesn’t vary much from hydroponics,” Nelson told TechNewsWorld. “It is a soilless system. But in aquaponics, we use a natural fertilizer source, which is derived from fish waste. Aquaponics is a fully integrated system that produces both fish and plants.” CEA is “the future of farming,” according to Nelson. “A controlled environment greenhouse protects the crop from extreme climatic conditions and also allows a grower to implement biosecurity practices to ensure food safety.” Lettuce and Tomatoes The four major hydroponically grown plants are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuces, which can be grown and distributed within urban communities on a scale that doesn’t work for high-volume staple crops such as wheat, corn and rice. These basics foods for much of the world’s diet are unsuitable for CEA, due to issues like the massive production and distribution demands of the crops. By extending the growing season and ensuring product quality of veggies and fruits, CEA complements but does not replace field crop production. Local CEA practices can make a difference in people’s nutrition and quality of life while enhancing the remediation of resources. CEA and hydroponic-type systems offer relatively inexpensive “farms” for the urban grower who may be but more likely is not a traditional farmer, according to UA CEAC’s Giacomelli. “CEA provides the door into production agriculture for those with a non-farm background,” Giacomelli told TechNewsWorld. A long and productive farm background distinguishes Hollandia Produce , which specializes in the production, as well as the wholesale and retail marketing of vegetables it grows in greenhouses using hydroponic methods. Hollandia “Live Gourmet” brand living lettuces and leafy greens — harvested with their roots intact to preserve freshness — are distributed in 45 states and Canada. “CEA is definitely the way of the future,” CEO Peter Overgaag told TechNewsWorld. “Protecting the crops means less waste and of course more production per acre.” The Great Park AG Kawamura, former California secretary of agriculture, could easily be considered the King of Urban Ag in America. Kawamura is a founding member of Orange County Produce , which farms nearly 1,000 acres in a densely urban county. Kawamura also operates the leased 114-acre Orange County Great Park Farm, where his company grows a variety of fruits and vegetables for the consumer market and for contribution to local food banks. “This is now the largest ag operation in an urban park in the country,” said Tom Larson, the park’s farm, food and landscape manager. “What’s so spectacular is it pays for itself.” With an eye always fixed on the future, Kawamura is planning the construction of hydroponic greenhouses at the Great Park Farm. “CEA greenhouses can provide a new strategy for establishing production capacity inside urban areas where open ground may be scarce, impaired — brown fields — or difficult to farm traditionally,” Kawamura told TechNewsWorld. “They certainly can create new opportunities for year-round production of fruits and veggies in places where extreme weather has made farming impractical.” Food Security = Food Knowledge Greengro Technologies markets both indoor and outdoor aquaponic and hydroponic systems and grow rooms. CEO James Haas emphasizes the importance of philosophy and attitude in any successful urban agriculture initiative. “We’re in the midst of a global movement, and the demand for locally grown, organic produce has never been stronger,” Haas told TechNewsWorld, “but the biggest problem is that in our society in the U.S., everybody stopped doing basic food-security things — like, for example, collecting seeds for growing some of their own food. “If we want to create better urban food sources, we need to better understand our food itself,” he advised. “Urban growers have to take personal responsibility for what they grow and eat — that’s what rural farmers do.” High-tech Exurban Ag Houweling’s Tomatoes operates California’s first large-scale, energy-neutral urban ag vegetable greenhouse, producing a broad range of tomatoes and cucumbers grown hydroponically under glass across 125 acres. “I believe there is a place for urban agriculture, said David Bell, chief marketing officer, for Houweling’s Tomatoes, which is surrounded by farmland. “However, we see the future of CEA leaning towards larger-scale greenhouse farms built to meet a bigger regional area,” Bell told Tech News World. “It’s positioned for reduced but easy access to freight, with the integration of grow lights to facilitate year-round local production.” Still Experimental While they are understandably attractive, urban agriculture and urban farms remain at an experimental stage in the U.S., according to Danilo S. Lopez, principal at Novelle Consulting . “Communities will have to face up to regulatory requirements — relating to effluent discharge, noise, logistics, lighting, etc. — and higher quality labor supply year round on one side — and on the other side, the benefits of fresher products to the community — hopefully at lower or competitive cost to consumers,” Lopez told TechNewsWorld. “The U.S. can be supplied year round by Canada and Mexico with greenhouse vegetables,” explained Lopez. “For large commercial U.S. producers, the tested dependable hydroponics greenhouses should remain popular for the next decade. The jury is still out whether urban hydroponics greenhouse farming will be commercially viable.” The road ahead is not completely clear, however, according to Melissa Brechner, PhD, director of the CEA Hydroponic Technology Transfer Center in the Dept. of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University , who issued a word of caution to urban ag enthusiasts. “It is NOT true that ‘if you grow it they — restaurants, etc. — will buy it’. We have seen much perfectly grown produce go into landfills because the proprietor failed to sell it,” she noted. “In my opinion, the most important thing to remember is that CEA encompasses an integrated system that includes greenhouse design, environmental control, labor, marketing, management, distribution and consumer demand,” Brechner told TechNewsWorld. “All of the details must be working together, and the failure of any one aspect can bring the entire operation to a halt — bankruptcy.” Growth of Greenhouses World greenhouse vegetable production hit a major milestone in 2012, when the total worldwide greenhouse vegetable production area surpassed 1 million acres, according to the International Greenhouse Vegetable Production Statistics released by Cuesta Roble Consulting. “I predict that greenhouse construction will double in the next decade, completing a paradigm shift worldwide in the way mankind produces commodity fruits and vegetables,” Tim Madden, president of BiodynamicsCEA , told TechNewsWorld. “Instead of altering the genetics of the plants to provide the ability to grow in harsh environments, we change the environment to provide the best growing conditions for the plants.” Continue reading
Climate Innovation Debate: What’s The Future For Carbon Trading Systems, Around The World?
Press release A focused panel of experts from business, academia and politics will consider how different regional carbon trading systems should be modified in order to enable them to effectively combat climate change. The debate, to be held on 24 September, is organised by Climate-KIC, which is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The European Commission and Parliament have been struggling to find a solution to plunging carbon prices, with a compromise deal being struck only as recently as June and many publicly questioning the future of the system. Advocates, however, have called for the success of carbon trading to be determined based on the level of carbon reduction, rather than the price of carbon. Research has been published to suggest that the market-based approach of Europe’s carbon trading system is still delivering results. Meanwhile, international policy makers are looking to adopt local versions of Europe’s carbon trading system. Climate-KIC will now bring together a panel of experts to discuss the future of carbon trading, and its effect on long term climate change mitigation and adaption. Debate The panel will include Pierre Dechamps, adviser to European Commission President Barroso on energy and climate change, former top climate diplomat John Ashton and Renat Heuberger, CEO of Climate-KIC partner South Pole Carbon Asset Management. The event is organised by Climate-KIC, one of three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) created in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The debate will be moderated by Jonathan Tyler, Climate-KIC’s Chief Commercial Officer. Tyler is a former chemical industry focused investment banker and has held senior roles mostly at US firms, including Goldman Sachs and Bear Stearns. It is possible to attend the debate in Brussels on 24 September. The event starts at 16:00, with a reception planned at 18:00. The debate will take in the Science 14 Atrium conference centre, close to the European Commission and Parliament in Brussels. Please visit www.climate-kic.org/events/carbon-trading-debate for more information and to find out how to register to attend. Experts Pierre Dechamps, Adviser, Energy & Climate Change, Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA) to President Barroso, European Commission Pierre Dechamps advises European Commission President Barroso on energy, climate change and the environment in his role as adviser with the Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA). Dechamps has previously worked on clean coal technologies and CO2 capture and sequestration in the European Commission. John Ashton, former UK top diplomat, commentator and adviser on climate change politics John Ashton served as special representative for climate change for three successive UK foreign secretaries, spanning the current coalition and the previous labour governments. The UK foreign office pioneered during this time a diplomacy-led approach to climate change. Renat Heuberger, CEO, South Pole Carbon Asset Management Renat Heuberger fights climate change with market-based solutions such as carbon credits. Heuberger is CEO of Climate-KIC partner South Pole Carbon Asset Management, a company headquartered in Switzerland with twelve offices worldwide and operations in 25 countries. Climate-KIC Climate-KIC is the European Union’s largest public-private innovation partnership focused on climate change, consisting of dynamic companies, the best academic institutions and the public sector. The organisation integrates education, entrepreneurship and innovation resulting in connected, creative transformation of knowledge and ideas into economically viable products or services that help to mitigate climate change. The Climate-KIC aims to stimulate creativity and entrepreneurship by supporting the development of start-up companies and innovative projects in the climate area. Climate-KIC is one of three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) created in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The EIT is an EU body whose mission is to create sustainable growth. Climate-KIC supports this mission by addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation. Continue reading
Permits To Pollute Can Be Bought Too Cheaply
Cheap emissions permits means industry hasn’t traded in its polluting ways. David Davies/PA When the carbon price collapsed to below €3 in April this year, EU policymakers sought to prop up carbon prices by a deal that would delay the release of carbon allowances (known as “backloading”). This deal was agreed by the European Parliament in July , but has had little impact – prices still languish at around €4-5, well below the highs of €30, the sort of level economists consider necessary to bring emissions under control. Is this a disaster? Does it mean the death of the carbon markets , as many have suggested ? A recent op-ed in the Financial Times made the case that prices do not matter much. The emissions trading scheme (ETS) simply ensures that Europe meets its emissions targets. A low carbon price is not necessarily a sign of trouble. In fact, if – it’s a big if – it’s the result of substantial, sustainable emissions reductions, a low price is a sign of success. But is the point of the ETS simply to ensure that a short-term cap is met? And if so, can the ETS be considered to be a success? Let’s look at the second question first – is the EU ETS making a major contribution to reducing short-term emissions at very low cost? Certainly, emissions are declining in Europe. The official numbers show that between 2005 and 2010, industries covered by the EU ETS cut their emissions by roughly 8% . The ETS is doing its job, one might conclude at first glance. However, those regulated by the ETS are, it turns out, no different to other polluters. Over the same period, total carbon emissions in the 27 EU member states fell by just over 8% , which implies there is little difference between those industries regulated by the ETS and those that are not. Two preliminary studies ( Jaraite and Di Maria, 2011 and Calel, 2013, forthcoming ) directly compare them, and neither uncovers any systematic difference. If the EU ETS isn’t doing the bulk of the work, what is driving the fall in emissions? Most studies (see, for instance, Anderson and Di Maria, 2011 ; Cooper, 2010 ; Kettner et al., 2011 ; Bloomberg New Energy Finance, 2009 ) suggest that the lion’s share of cuts has been driven by other factors such as the EU’s energy efficiency and renewables targets, the recession, and the high price of oil. The ETS has an impact too, but it cannot take credit for the majority of the cuts that have been achieved. Let’s now return to the first question – what is the point of the EU ETS? Certainly, a major objective is to ensure that a short-term cap is met. But another is to set the direction for the economic transition to a cleaner economy. What really matters is the total emissions produced up to 2050, not just those in the short term. And what matters greatly for the health of our economies is that this transition is undertaken gradually and smoothly. We don’t want to move too fast to begin with, but if we dawdle and move too slowly then a late rush to catch up and consequent upheavals will cost economies dearly. A carbon price of under €5 indicates that the system is sluggish – especially when such low prices can be seen to be the result of recession and financial crisis, not a miraculous decarbonisation of our economies. Even at these low prices, has the EU ETS sent a signal to businesses that the development of new low-carbon technologies is likely to yield profits in future? Encouraging evidence from some recent studies suggests that, though few in number, some businesses have invested more in R&D and patented more low carbon technologies. This innovation response seems strongest among those businesses that foresee the future will bring a high carbon price. So while the ETS is not the main driver of low carbon innovation – nor should it be – even in its current state it has encouraged some low carbon innovation. But instrumental to even this modest success, it seems, is that policymakers follow through on the promise that the trading scheme deliver a higher carbon price in the future. Where does that leave us? Should we worry about low carbon prices? Yes – the rock bottom carbon price is not a sign of success. It simply reflects a glut of permits on the market at a time of low economic activity – permits too numerous and cheap to force businesses to invest in innovative means to cut emissions. Low prices matter because they dampen the signal that low-carbon innovation will pay. The EU Parliament’s backloading measure does not directly address this, but it buys time for policymakers to cancel carbon allowances which would restore prices to higher levels. A higher carbon price would get the message to businesses that investment in decarbonisation is money well spent for the long term. When at last zero carbon technologies become economically competitive, we can celebrate the collapse of the carbon price. But that is likely to be some time into the future. Continue reading