In contrast to conventional agriculture, the Tri-Gen-Zero™ model results in an environmentally smaller footprint which can produce high volumes of quality produce year-round to regional consumers while conserving energy and water.
Vertical farming makes more efficient use of land, water, and energy to grow food free of pesticides, herbicides, preservatives and GMO seeds. Additionally, they create dramatically fewer emissions caused by the transportation of food. The optimization of the cultivation process means a better return on investment and a consistent quality of product for customers
4 SKIES will collaborate with IGES Canada Ltd. and others to involve experienced scientists, horticulturalists, and lighting technicians to plan large scale produce growing facilities.
This state-of-the–art facility will use the CO2 and waste heat available from the generators to grow fruits and vegetables year-round. Although food crops would be the focus of the vertical farm facilities, certain herbs and spices, including indigenous medicinal plants as well as some species of flowers, can also be grown. Vertical farming can also be used to grow seedlings for reforestation projects.
Beyond the food that can be produced, integrating vertical farms into Tri-Gen-Zero™ systems has many other benefits. While growing food can sequester CO2 from the natural gas turbine itself, leftover biomass from the vertical farm can also be used in an anaerobic digester to produce natural gas for the generator and fertilizer for the vertical farm, the community, or other farming operations. Vertical farms also grow local produce which further reduces the carbon emissions that are involved in transporting food to communities.
We also envision that Tri-Gen-Zero™ projects can also support research to advance future vertical farming and sustainable food production systems. 4 SKIES envisions an R&D facility established onsite to study the effects of CO2 on various horticulture techniques, crop combinations, lighting systems, hydroponics, organic plant food, and plant nutrition. An algae production facility can also be integrated into Tri-Gen-Zero™ systems to not only to produce food for the plants but also to study how algae can optimize animal feed and biofuel production.