Synergy between industry and agriculture: Techno-economic and life cycle assessments of waste recovery for crop growth in glasshouses

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139650
• Publication Date: 2023-11-10T04:26:28Z
• Authors: Lewis J. McDonald; Ariane S.S. Pinto; Muhammad Naveed A...; Rebecca L. Rowe; Iain Donnison; Marcelle McManus
• Keywords: Circular Economy

Controlled-environment agriculture in agro-industrial systems, where carbon dioxide, heat, and other wastes are recovered or recycled, has potential to be an environmentally friendly approach with economic feasibility. However, such approaches need careful exploration ensure that environmental benefits maximised. Techno-economic, life cycle assessment were applied evaluate the synergy of producing crops (tomato hemp) recovering industrial (e.g., heat dioxide) glasshouses robust uncertainty sensitivity analyses. For each crop two scenarios compared, a linear scenario evaluated use raw materials no waste recovery whereas circular captured industry flows reused recycled them glasshouse, avoiding consumption. Circular practices had net benefit on global warming for both crops, capturing up 50,000 kg/y CO2 biomass providing competitive product prices. The analysis shows operational conditions can reduce, by almost half, break-even selling prices sequester to, approximately, 500 kg CO2eq./m2 glasshouse compared systems. Future investments this outstanding strategy supply United Kingdom's market demand tomatoes could lead low-cost negative CO2eq. emissions mitigating importation these products. Alongside, impact categories scores may not as favourable potential, due high management phase, chemical fertilisers, pesticides utilisation.