By Matt Blackman
Published: Jan 25, 2014
Although the LNG industry in Canada faces many challenges, one of the more sensitive issues is reducing its carbon footprint to fulfill Christy Clarke’s promise of the ‘cleanest LNG in the world’.
A recent BC government report talks about one of the ways emissions can be reduced: Carbon capture and storage. A number of carbon capture and storage solutions have been put forward, including pumping it deep into the earth.
One of more compelling, however, may be to use the CO2 to grow everything from lettuce to wasabi in specially designed greenhouses while creating agricultural jobs in the process.
At a business information session organised by Woodfibre LNG, a Vancouver based company brought that idea forward.
Stuart Brazier, the owner of HydroHaus, a BC company that designs and builds speciality greenhouses, said carbon capture can be effectively used to grow organic plants.
Brazier said aeroponic systems used by the company differ from soil-based or hydroponic systems because they use 95 per cent less water and no pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil. It’s a misting system that sends mist to the roots of plants that are grown vertically in a greenhouse.
Because plant roots are sprayed with a nutrient mixture in air, plant growth rates can double, Brazier said.
“With aeroponics, one acre of greenhouse can produce as much as seven acres of a normal greenhouse,” he said.
Woodfibre LNG estimates the project will emit 80,000 tons of Greenhouse Gases every year, along with 20 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 17 tons of sulphur oxides (SOx).
Woodfibre LNG vice-president Byng Giraud said the majority of emissions will come from elements removed from the natural gas prior to liquefaction, which are incinerated.
“Limiting air emissions where possible is a priority at Woodfibre LNG,” Giraud told the Reporter.
That carbon is a valuable source and can be used for something productive that can create jobs in the community, Brazier said.
The greenhouse would have to be closer to the Woodfibre LNG plant to source the carbon, but such a project can be beneficial for the community. The greenhouse will create jobs and provide the community with fresh, organic and local fruit and vegetables. If successful, the greenhouse can also use some of the hot water from LNG project to heat the biodomes.
“Squamish would have access to local food that is fresh, tastes better and is from an environmentally sustainable project,” he added.
“Woodfibre LNG was open to our ideas but a number of questions remain,” he said including how much land is available, where biodomes could safely be constructed on the site and the costs of piping the hot water and CO2 to the domes.
According to a report entitled The Potential for Carbon Sequestration in the United States, food crops capture an average of 80 tons of CO2 per acre per year. A vertical aeroponic biodome would conservatively increase this amount to 560 tons per acre.
In Oct. 2014, the world’s first commercial-scale carbon-capture and storage operation was launched at a coal-fired power plant in Saskatchewan. The Estevan-based facility will take a million tonnes of CO2 a year from a SaskPower station, convert it to liquid and bury it underground.
Jean says
Oh here we go again.. Sounds good no wonder W-LNG jumps for joy to get an other SpinDrs opinion on a good thing for LNG, Just like Science World said how save LNG is, one can even Drink it !!! All young people will have employment way up North by the Mosquito’s and mud deep in Mud, by the stinky poisonous ponds, oh I saw the youth just flock to the 20 + Computer stations set up by Work BC Presentation of the Government smart Media Dr,s instigated show at the Round house (Correction I saw actually 2 kids for a few seconds on the computer station)
Now the idea of using wood to use as heat and environment enhancer, with the benefit if properly burned, to heat your House and Green house, where some have already installed wood burning stoves in there green Houses, because the plants like it and converting it CO2 into Oxygen that we need…..so please no LNG so we can convert that stink into Oxygen via fancy technology Spin Dr,s theory, that is already available and promoted by New York State, demanding that all new Government buildings have to use wood heat and subsidizing the supply companies cleaning up wood debris and selling ( delivering at low cost to households) and then investing into smoke less and proper combustion burning Stove Industries, with very little ill effects to environment, a Green process, a renewable Heat source and besides the million Germans already employed in Research and Mfr of renewable energy, a far cry from the present mentality trying to sell the model T-Ford type energy LNG, modified with some gimmicks as the best solution we can come up with ….. LNG the Model T- Energy!!!! Patent pending, Fortisityt BC!!!
Larry McLennan says
Jean, just out of curiosity, how many trees do you think there would be in the lower mainland (or even Squamish) if everyone was burning them to heat their houses ? In fact, a number of third world countries suffer the results from doing just that- deforestification on steroids. Speaking of New York- according to New York advertisments- the State offers massive tax reduction ( even tax exemption) incentives to attract businesses to locate there. What do you think of lowering taxes to attract businesses to a State or Province ?
Jean says
Why not the Government give every Citizen the percentage of energy subsidy we have to pay for a potential W-LNG Plant, so each Citizen can make his own carbon neutral energy and even have a Home Greenhouse for his families food supply, with the excess for export…the US would love us and if the Canadian Dollar falls even more, a real bargain for the US to import!!!
Dave Colwell says
I am all for this idea. If the LNG thing MUST happen, then this is a good addition.
The CO2 used must be contained, solely used for the growth of the plants and not released into the atmosphere as excess. Otherwise it would defeat the “Green” initiative. What assurances do we have that this will actually happen?
Larry McLennan says
I wonder if there is a market for liquified CO2 to be used in greenhouses rather than burying it underground. If one acre of food crops captures 80 tons of CO2 per year then 80000 could help to enhance a/some large (1000 acres?) farm (s). Problem is getting the CO2 to the farm (pipeline?). Wonder if research monies are available.
Dorte Froslev says
Sounds like a good idea as long as the whole thing doesn’t start with fracking which it seems it must.
Matt Blackman says
Here is the paper that discussed CO2 capture by an acre of crops.
https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/09-12-carbonsequestration.pdf
Interesting to note that the paper states that it would cost between $15 and $90 per ton of CO2 to store in using traditional geologic storage (pumping into to the ground). That is not a realistic solution anytime soon.
Dave Colwell says
At least these people are trying to go in the right direction….Lets not shoot them down before investigating the whole picture.
And Jean , you might do better to ramble less and check your typing…it just makes for better, smoother reading….then I can disagree with you with some degree of validity.
Jean says
That,s what is great about being politically correct. First about spelling, how many people can spell in french when living in this bilingual country.. then, as to trees there is much more debris of trees on the ground and once the secondary growth is not needing the debries for the wildlife especially any more, left to rot …what about creating jobs that could be filled not by LNG gurus, but basic labourers intensive work and healthy, out in the still fresh air, until the stink from LNG will permeate the sky. So even people with lesser degree might find work and be gainfully employed and yes insensitive,s as long as it is not trying to put a bunch more computer screens into the Work BC ” LNG is good for you, drink it.. Gong Show” but maybe some apprenticeship and help on start-up, Self- employment and then, yes compete with other smart administrations, that like to entice the good guys away from where ever…we have to learn to play the game… and yes please count my spelling mistakes and I will count your thinking mistakes.
Larry McLennan says
Je ne comprenez pas votre logic- merci beaucoup
Dave says
Watch it Larry, she’ll nail ya!:
It should be…..Je ne comprend pas votre logic….n’est pas?
But ,who cares!? 🙂
Larry McLennan says
Its been a long time between french classes