Vegetable greenhouse to turn plant debris into energy

Pelee Hydroponics, a hydroponic vegetable greenhouse operation in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, will be the site of a 2-stage anaerobic digester that will turn plant waste into heat and electricity.

Seacliff Energy is receiving a $1.6 million loan from the Canadian government to construct a $6.5 million facility that processes plant waste from the greenhouses, local farms and food processors to produce electricity and fertilizer. The digester will break down up to 40,000 metric tons of waste, including tomato and cucumber plant debris, corn silage and dairy cattle and swine manure.

The digestion process will generate enough methane gas and thermal heat to operate Pelee Hydroponics. Seacliff will sell excess electricity to the Ontario power grid. Local corn producers plan to buy the natural fertilizer or “digestate” that is an end product of the process.