Salish Soils

Biomass to clean energy and food production
Sector: Agriculture
Technology: Low Carbon Fuels
NorthX Backing: $750,000
Project Value: $2,538,000
Project Status: Active

The Problem

Salish Soils has developed systems for collection of over 4000 tonnes of construction, demolition, and forestry wood waste. However, this resource remains largely underutilized as a bioresource and still contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The Sunshine Coast faces a deficit of local food production and food security, with 98% of its food being imported. There is a tremendous opportunity to enhance sovereignty for both energy and food production, reducing this reliance on imports.

The Solution

Salish Soils is closing the loop of clean energy to food production in remote regions such as the Sunshine Coast.

Salish Soils is strengthening its Indigenous commitment to protect its swiva (territory). With funding from NorthX, the company is developing a co-generation technology that utilizes CO2 from construction, demolition, and forestry wood waste for year-round greenhouse production and site electrification.

Salish Soils is also exploring the potential for a community-scaled power plant through net metering. By comparing the CO2 balance from utilizing local bioresources for greenhouse production of food with the importation of greenhouse vegetables grown using natural gas, the total GHG reduction is 420,000 kg of CO2e/year and 160,000 kg of vegetables produced.

 

“The funding for this biomass to energy and food project will assist Salish Soils’ Indigenous values to protect our swiya (territory) and increase sovereignty for both energy and food. The vision for the resultant technology and operational package is to establish other Indigenous and remote communities that have similar opportunities to better manage their bioresources.”
Aaron Joe, CEO of Salish Environmental Group & Peter Doig, CEO of Salish Organics and Director of Upland Agricultural Consulting

The B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is now NorthX

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