Food Security and Renewable Energy in Alaska
The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA) has been working in the Aleut region to promote food security and local food production, community gardens and use of greenhouses. Three models have been developed;
1. greenhouse power by the sun alone
2. greenhouse powered by renewable energy, and
3. containerized food production
These three models are discussed below:
1. Nikolski has a 25 foot geodesic greenhouse that does not use electricity, solar energy is stored as heat in a large water tank and the sun provides all the energy. The system allows for nearly 8 months of gardening and has survived 130 mph winds. The system has been working well but has some limitations, so the Nikolski IRA Council is in the process of working with Growing Spaces, the company from which the previous greenhouse was bought, to purchase two new 33 foot diameter greenhouses. The new greenhouses will be erected the summer 2013 with one next to the community center from which power will be ran to the greenhouses. The greenhouses will be located close to the power plant from which they can use waste heat to heat the greenhouses making them useful year round and possibly grow plants that need a warmer climate. One greenhouse will be tended by employees growing vegetables and greens or for distribution to residents at no charge through the Nikolski Native Store. The other greenhouse will be set aside for the use by residents to grow their own choices of vegetables. Left over space will be used by the Council to grow more vegetables for distribution.
2. The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands are rich in renewable energy so we developed this model for a sustainable renewable energy-powered greenhouse using St. George economic information to build this economic model.
Considering the short growing seasons and harsh climates, these communities seek to construct small, commercial-scale agriculture, centered on a greenhouse facility, using locally available renewable energy resources. Produce from these greenhouses will augment a seasonal harvest of tubers, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, herbs, edible-pod peas and other vegetables to be sold in the local store. Revenues from these sales will go to the upkeep and maintenance of the facility including the employment of a greenhouse agriculturist.
Methods:
Though many communities in the Aleutian/Pribilof region are affected by food and energy insecurity, this discussion will use the village of Saint George in developing an economic model for discussing the renewable energy powered greenhouse concept. This model could be used in other Aleut region communities
St. George receives weekly scheduled air service directly from Anchorage; and is a good representation of the average commodity values for the region. In January of 2011, the price of #2 diesel fuel for power generation cost $5.46/gal. The price of produce, flown in from Anchorage, Alaska, regularly costs 10% to 80% higher than similar items in Anchorage. This cost estimate does not include the cost of items that spoil, freeze or otherwise become unfit for human consumption between the time of purchase and time of arrival and being available on the shelf often one or two weeks later. All small communities in the region suffer from poor quality fresh food and high food costs.
The design of the greenhouse system under consideration uses a proven, “off the shelf,” commercial technology and readily available materials.
Due to the unique environmental conditions of the Aleutian/Pribilof region, the communities plan to construct geodesic dome greenhouses or similar wind-fast structures with a set of two to four low wattage wind turbines, including associated storage and distribution systems, in order to produce and deliver 40 kWh of power. The 51 foot diameter geodesic greenhouses are approximately 2000 square feet each and will provide year-round, commercial vegetable production. This includes a production schedule with a seasonal shift to plant starts, for outside production. Cost analyses indicate that using renewable energy resources can make this endeavor economically viable on either a community or commercial scale.
The economic analysis for the St. George Greenhouse Project (a community of 111 residents) indicates an initial investment of approximately $350,000 for a controlled environment greenhouse facility. This should conservatively produce a mixed crop harvest, with a minimum annual wholesale value, of approximately $46,500. This translates into a retail value of approximately $66,500 once the standard 30% markup is factored in for the local stores (Figure 4). These figures do not include any outside agriculture, initiated from greenhouse starts, and the community will need to provide the land and volunteer labor. Using the upper level of the greenhouse structures to initiate plant starts for the beginning of the outdoor season could yield an additional $30,000 wholesale/$43,000 retail (Figure 5). Together, these combined agricultural assets have a potential for bringing in over $76,000 (wholesale dollars) into the community. As we will see in the budget section of this document, these revenues are enough to sustain a profitable, well-maintained operation with a paid full-time employee, or a combination of part-time employees.
Though the economic model is feasible, we realize that this scale of agriculture is not common in the Bering Sea region and a minimum level of capacity building and training will be necessary in order to ensure success.
Expected Results:
We anticipate the planning and construction of each greenhouse to take approximately four to six months. This includes preparation of the organic, local and naturally enriched soil beds inside and the ground outside for planting and production. Formal planning of the greenhouse and wind turbine installations should take approximately 3 months. Construction should take approximately 4 weeks for each community. Internal preparation of the greenhouse will take another 4 weeks. Planting indoors would begin immediately upon completion. Preparing the soil for the outside plots, for the next season, would be completed before September. Regardless of the community, wind turbine foundations can begin during the summer and turbine installation will use tilt-up turbine towers (no cranes will be needed for these installations).
The greenhouses should be able to begin making contributions to the nutritional content of each community within four to six months after completion. Within a year after construction we should begin to see the greenhouse operations running smoothly and in full production with agriculture both inside and outside of the greenhouse structure.
A test case for a viable greenhouse occurs in Nikolski, Alaska, in the Aleutian Islands. The greenhouse is a small geodesic dome which as easily survived 130mph winds and is now in production. It is too small to provide for the community needs and meet the standards of the economical model presented here, but it is proof we can effectively use greenhouses in the windy Aleutian and Pribilof Islands.
Budget:
The construction of the greenhouse and power system is anticipated to cost $348,000.
Annual operating expenses for the commercial greenhouse systems are currently estimated at, $65,000
The Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government received a total of $437,524 in federal grant funding from the Administration for Native Americans under its Social and Economic Development Strategies program for the next three years. With these funds, the Tribal Government intends to create, develop, and implement a local agricultural enterprise incorporating sustainable farming practices to grow produce year round on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
see: http://www.newsminer.com/article_98e224ff-94f6-5e6c-90c9-beba5cfb9299.html
see also: http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/greenhouse-project-remote-alaska-island-gets-boost
3. The third model is to use a containerized growing system. This model uses a system produced by PharmPod and provided to Atka running the lights and electrical system from renewable energy generated by the hydro generator.
PharmPod 20 complete design specifications: Custom Built for Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Container: Standard ISO steel shipping container, 20’L x 8’W x 8.5’ tall
Empty Weight: 4,485#
Power Draw: 31 Amps (est).
Growing Capacity: 1,060 full size plants every 30 days
Seeding Capacity: 2,000 plants per month (allows for some non-starts and losses prior to planting)
Plant Variety: Container will be capable of producing any non-flowering/fruiting plant. Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, bok choi, arugula, etc) and most common herbs (basil, mint, mustard greens, parsley, cilantro, etc). Fruiting/flowering plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) are a possibility but would be best considered in a separate container system due to numerous design differences and lighting requirements of fruiting/flowering plants).
Growing Medium: Nutrient film technique, continuous flow hydroponic
Nutrients: Base nutrients (NPK) and micronutrients in water soluble format (25# bags). One year’s supply will be provided with the system.
Lighting: All LED in a combination of Blue, Red, Far Red and white for best production of a variety of plants. Lights have a 50,000 hour (2 year) warranty. 4 additional lights will be provided for breakage/replacement.
HVAC System: Toshiba 24,000 BTU heat pump high efficiency (18 SEER) mini-split system. Options available upon request.
Plumbing: Standard water pumps with redundancy will control the flow of water. All water supply and drain will be PVC for durability and simplicity of replacement. Nutrient dosing and fertigation will be controlled by the Agrowtek controller system described below. All water flow and control is completely automatic. Only mixing of the nutrients (approximately every 2 weeks) will be necessary. System will use approximately 600 gallons per month for plant growth.
Control System: Agrowtek GC Pro controller with complete fertigation system. See system at www.agrowtek.com. System is capable of remote operation (via computer, smartphone, etc) and control of all functions (water, dosing, hvac, lights, etc) remotely. System can send email or text message notifications/alarms for any problems (heat, humidity, leaks, etc). Container is capable of complete operation for several days at a time but is best checked on a daily basis. Agrowtek system (when connected to the internet) would also allow for us to remote troubleshoot any problems with the container or plants from our office and is capable of remote programming/reprogramming by the specialists at Agrowtek as well.
Camera system: Defender-USA closed circuit. Can be monitored by computer or smart phone. This allows the operator to check on alarms/problems (i.e. a sensor alarm in the middle of the night) by looking at the container using the camera system. This would also allow us to help troubleshoot problems via internet monitoring of the cameras from our offices.
Other: Given the custom nature of this unit, FusionPharm would like to pre-build and trial run the container at our corporate headquarters/testing facility for 30 days (one complete growth cycle) prior to shipping. This will allow us to ‘de-bug’ the unit and will help to ensure a smooth setup/operation/training of the operations staff. If timeframe allows for this to happen in the next few months, we could reasonably simulate the temperature environment in Atka (27 to 49 degrees as relayed by Mr. Wright) here in the Colorado winter as well. We would then dismantle (as necessary) and pack for shipment and re-assemble at Atka.
1. greenhouse power by the sun alone
2. greenhouse powered by renewable energy, and
3. containerized food production
These three models are discussed below:
1. Nikolski has a 25 foot geodesic greenhouse that does not use electricity, solar energy is stored as heat in a large water tank and the sun provides all the energy. The system allows for nearly 8 months of gardening and has survived 130 mph winds. The system has been working well but has some limitations, so the Nikolski IRA Council is in the process of working with Growing Spaces, the company from which the previous greenhouse was bought, to purchase two new 33 foot diameter greenhouses. The new greenhouses will be erected the summer 2013 with one next to the community center from which power will be ran to the greenhouses. The greenhouses will be located close to the power plant from which they can use waste heat to heat the greenhouses making them useful year round and possibly grow plants that need a warmer climate. One greenhouse will be tended by employees growing vegetables and greens or for distribution to residents at no charge through the Nikolski Native Store. The other greenhouse will be set aside for the use by residents to grow their own choices of vegetables. Left over space will be used by the Council to grow more vegetables for distribution.
2. The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands are rich in renewable energy so we developed this model for a sustainable renewable energy-powered greenhouse using St. George economic information to build this economic model.
Considering the short growing seasons and harsh climates, these communities seek to construct small, commercial-scale agriculture, centered on a greenhouse facility, using locally available renewable energy resources. Produce from these greenhouses will augment a seasonal harvest of tubers, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, herbs, edible-pod peas and other vegetables to be sold in the local store. Revenues from these sales will go to the upkeep and maintenance of the facility including the employment of a greenhouse agriculturist.
Methods:
Though many communities in the Aleutian/Pribilof region are affected by food and energy insecurity, this discussion will use the village of Saint George in developing an economic model for discussing the renewable energy powered greenhouse concept. This model could be used in other Aleut region communities
St. George receives weekly scheduled air service directly from Anchorage; and is a good representation of the average commodity values for the region. In January of 2011, the price of #2 diesel fuel for power generation cost $5.46/gal. The price of produce, flown in from Anchorage, Alaska, regularly costs 10% to 80% higher than similar items in Anchorage. This cost estimate does not include the cost of items that spoil, freeze or otherwise become unfit for human consumption between the time of purchase and time of arrival and being available on the shelf often one or two weeks later. All small communities in the region suffer from poor quality fresh food and high food costs.
The design of the greenhouse system under consideration uses a proven, “off the shelf,” commercial technology and readily available materials.
Due to the unique environmental conditions of the Aleutian/Pribilof region, the communities plan to construct geodesic dome greenhouses or similar wind-fast structures with a set of two to four low wattage wind turbines, including associated storage and distribution systems, in order to produce and deliver 40 kWh of power. The 51 foot diameter geodesic greenhouses are approximately 2000 square feet each and will provide year-round, commercial vegetable production. This includes a production schedule with a seasonal shift to plant starts, for outside production. Cost analyses indicate that using renewable energy resources can make this endeavor economically viable on either a community or commercial scale.
The economic analysis for the St. George Greenhouse Project (a community of 111 residents) indicates an initial investment of approximately $350,000 for a controlled environment greenhouse facility. This should conservatively produce a mixed crop harvest, with a minimum annual wholesale value, of approximately $46,500. This translates into a retail value of approximately $66,500 once the standard 30% markup is factored in for the local stores (Figure 4). These figures do not include any outside agriculture, initiated from greenhouse starts, and the community will need to provide the land and volunteer labor. Using the upper level of the greenhouse structures to initiate plant starts for the beginning of the outdoor season could yield an additional $30,000 wholesale/$43,000 retail (Figure 5). Together, these combined agricultural assets have a potential for bringing in over $76,000 (wholesale dollars) into the community. As we will see in the budget section of this document, these revenues are enough to sustain a profitable, well-maintained operation with a paid full-time employee, or a combination of part-time employees.
Though the economic model is feasible, we realize that this scale of agriculture is not common in the Bering Sea region and a minimum level of capacity building and training will be necessary in order to ensure success.
Expected Results:
We anticipate the planning and construction of each greenhouse to take approximately four to six months. This includes preparation of the organic, local and naturally enriched soil beds inside and the ground outside for planting and production. Formal planning of the greenhouse and wind turbine installations should take approximately 3 months. Construction should take approximately 4 weeks for each community. Internal preparation of the greenhouse will take another 4 weeks. Planting indoors would begin immediately upon completion. Preparing the soil for the outside plots, for the next season, would be completed before September. Regardless of the community, wind turbine foundations can begin during the summer and turbine installation will use tilt-up turbine towers (no cranes will be needed for these installations).
The greenhouses should be able to begin making contributions to the nutritional content of each community within four to six months after completion. Within a year after construction we should begin to see the greenhouse operations running smoothly and in full production with agriculture both inside and outside of the greenhouse structure.
A test case for a viable greenhouse occurs in Nikolski, Alaska, in the Aleutian Islands. The greenhouse is a small geodesic dome which as easily survived 130mph winds and is now in production. It is too small to provide for the community needs and meet the standards of the economical model presented here, but it is proof we can effectively use greenhouses in the windy Aleutian and Pribilof Islands.
Budget:
The construction of the greenhouse and power system is anticipated to cost $348,000.
Annual operating expenses for the commercial greenhouse systems are currently estimated at, $65,000
The Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government received a total of $437,524 in federal grant funding from the Administration for Native Americans under its Social and Economic Development Strategies program for the next three years. With these funds, the Tribal Government intends to create, develop, and implement a local agricultural enterprise incorporating sustainable farming practices to grow produce year round on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
see: http://www.newsminer.com/article_98e224ff-94f6-5e6c-90c9-beba5cfb9299.html
see also: http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/greenhouse-project-remote-alaska-island-gets-boost
3. The third model is to use a containerized growing system. This model uses a system produced by PharmPod and provided to Atka running the lights and electrical system from renewable energy generated by the hydro generator.
PharmPod 20 complete design specifications: Custom Built for Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Container: Standard ISO steel shipping container, 20’L x 8’W x 8.5’ tall
Empty Weight: 4,485#
Power Draw: 31 Amps (est).
Growing Capacity: 1,060 full size plants every 30 days
Seeding Capacity: 2,000 plants per month (allows for some non-starts and losses prior to planting)
Plant Variety: Container will be capable of producing any non-flowering/fruiting plant. Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, bok choi, arugula, etc) and most common herbs (basil, mint, mustard greens, parsley, cilantro, etc). Fruiting/flowering plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) are a possibility but would be best considered in a separate container system due to numerous design differences and lighting requirements of fruiting/flowering plants).
Growing Medium: Nutrient film technique, continuous flow hydroponic
Nutrients: Base nutrients (NPK) and micronutrients in water soluble format (25# bags). One year’s supply will be provided with the system.
Lighting: All LED in a combination of Blue, Red, Far Red and white for best production of a variety of plants. Lights have a 50,000 hour (2 year) warranty. 4 additional lights will be provided for breakage/replacement.
HVAC System: Toshiba 24,000 BTU heat pump high efficiency (18 SEER) mini-split system. Options available upon request.
Plumbing: Standard water pumps with redundancy will control the flow of water. All water supply and drain will be PVC for durability and simplicity of replacement. Nutrient dosing and fertigation will be controlled by the Agrowtek controller system described below. All water flow and control is completely automatic. Only mixing of the nutrients (approximately every 2 weeks) will be necessary. System will use approximately 600 gallons per month for plant growth.
Control System: Agrowtek GC Pro controller with complete fertigation system. See system at www.agrowtek.com. System is capable of remote operation (via computer, smartphone, etc) and control of all functions (water, dosing, hvac, lights, etc) remotely. System can send email or text message notifications/alarms for any problems (heat, humidity, leaks, etc). Container is capable of complete operation for several days at a time but is best checked on a daily basis. Agrowtek system (when connected to the internet) would also allow for us to remote troubleshoot any problems with the container or plants from our office and is capable of remote programming/reprogramming by the specialists at Agrowtek as well.
Camera system: Defender-USA closed circuit. Can be monitored by computer or smart phone. This allows the operator to check on alarms/problems (i.e. a sensor alarm in the middle of the night) by looking at the container using the camera system. This would also allow us to help troubleshoot problems via internet monitoring of the cameras from our offices.
Other: Given the custom nature of this unit, FusionPharm would like to pre-build and trial run the container at our corporate headquarters/testing facility for 30 days (one complete growth cycle) prior to shipping. This will allow us to ‘de-bug’ the unit and will help to ensure a smooth setup/operation/training of the operations staff. If timeframe allows for this to happen in the next few months, we could reasonably simulate the temperature environment in Atka (27 to 49 degrees as relayed by Mr. Wright) here in the Colorado winter as well. We would then dismantle (as necessary) and pack for shipment and re-assemble at Atka.