Emissions analysis of controlled environment agriculture in the Canadian Arctic ...

• Main Authors: Banister, Carsen, Wills, Adam, Gallardo, Andres, Moore, Travis, Legaspi, Koreen, Martinussen, Nika
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: National Research Council of Canada. Construction 2023
• Subjects: Arctic; Canada
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.4224/40003207; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=4103236a-f736-4440-be5e-31780fd33f03

Evidence presented in previous studies show that far-north Canadian populations face significant food security challenges, including quality, price, and availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. To target some of these challenges, several methods of protected agriculture have been attempted in recent years in high latitude locations in Canada. Although many studies show that it is feasible to produce quality fruits and vegetables in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) facilities in the Arctic, there are concerns about the energy emissions from operating such facilities. The high energy demand of CEA facilities and the high dependence on fossil fuels in the Canadian Arctic are factors that must be considered from a greenhouse gas emissions perspective. Thus, the objective of this study is to estimate the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with the production of fruits and vegetables in a CEA facility located in the Canadian Arctic. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following ...