Project: Feasibility study of greenhouse facility to use mill by-products
Funded by: Mitacs, ACOA, IET, and CBPPL.
The proposed project examines the potential for the use of heat by-products from Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. (CBPPL). One potential option for utilizing this waste is a greenhouse facility. Such a facility could support experiments related to the other research projects of the Centre of Research and Innovation Project and potentially, in the future, for growing produce for the local market. Exploration of the greenhouse project options focuses on three by-products, including waste heat but also wood ash and a sludge derivative of the pulping process. Combined in a greenhouse facility, there is potential for the re-use of these resources to considerably reduce the waste stream of CBPPL and related costs while delivering positive social and environmental impacts to Corner Brook and the wider western Newfoundland region.
Previous research has uncovered significant heating potential from the effluent disposed of by CBPPL, as well as market demand in NL for local greenhouse vegetable production and public receptivity to the idea of using this heat and other by-products to construct a greenhouse.
The overall objectives of this project are to:
- Assess available heat energy from CBPPL water outfall.
- Assess the potential for greenhouse production utilizing heat energy in this particular setting, including technological, financial, legislative, and human resource needs of the project and potential ongoing research opportunities related to these findings, based on different scenarios (e.g., commercial production, experimental use, etc.).
- Conduct a business case analysis for the greenhouse in a scenario of the commercial production of products for the western Newfoundland market and construct a greenhouse based on the business model developed.
Principal Investigator:
- Dr. Mumtaz Cheema (Boreal Ecosystem Research Initiative, School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus)
Co-Investigators:
- Dr. Kelly Vodden (Environmental Policy Institute, School of Science and the Environment, Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Grenfell Campus)
- Dr. Lakshman Galagedara (Environmental Science/Boreal Ecosystem Research Initiative, School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus)
- Dr. Mery Perez (Environmental Policy Institute, School of Science and the Environment, Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Grenfell Campus)
Interns:
- Nadeem Muhammad (PDF, School of Science and the Environment, Boreal Ecosystem Research Initiative, Grenfell Campus)
- Elmaddin Bayramov (MAEP Candidate, Environmental Policy Institute, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University)
- Co-Supervisors: Dr. Kelly Vodden, Dr. Mery Perez
- Thesis title: Evaluation of the Role of Key Actors of Regional Innovation System in Corner Brook: A Case Study of Local Innovation Project Applying Waste Heat from Corner Brook Pulp & Paper Limited for Greenhouse Operations