KENSINGTON, P.E.I. — An Island farming operation will receive more than $800,00 for a project to increase energy efficiency and reduce fossil fuel use in its greenhouse operation.
The Schurman Family Farm in Kensington provides organically grown produce throughout Atlantic Canada. For this, they received a federal investment of $446,642 under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Agricultural Clean Technology Program, $271,467 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Regional Economic Grown Through Innovation program, and $89,328 from the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture and Land.
The Schurmans’ operation, Atlantic Grown Organics, contributed $85,847.
The financial support will allow the organic farm to install a clean technology boiler system, the first of its kind in North America. The farm will test and demonstrate the boiler system, which burns 100 per cent renewable fuels, as well as promote clean technologies in the agriculture sector.
Atlantic Grown Organics has been using waste bio-products as fuel for its three conventional boilers, but they weren’t able to keep up to the demand for the growing greenhouse operation. An oil boiler was a constant back-up and all the heaters were due for replacement, said Marc Schurman.
“This project, while continuing our focus on sustainability that we’ve had the last number of years, does bring us to a new level. This technology will demonstrate what is possible in the greenhouse industry and hopefully will be a demonstration for others to follow - to learn from our mistakes, but also to learn what we can do together,” said Schurman. “Thank you to all who have helped in this. It takes a village to raise a tomato.”
Federal Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau said the Schurmans are an example for growers across the region who are looking to "grow greener."
“I have met many farm women and men across the country who share this commitment to the environment, and I am always impressed and inspired,” said Bibeau. “Working together with the provinces and farmers like the Schurmans, Canada will be an example to the world for sustainable farming and food.”
The operation's two new 1250-kilowatt boilers were manufactured by European company Herz Biofire and were installed by Charlottetown-based Wood4Heating. The new system will continue to use the by-products from an oilseed processing plant in Kensington, as well as wood chips as fuel.
Because the boilers self-modulate to burn continuously at peak efficiency, it will only take two boilers to replace the four older pieces of equipment, said Wood4Heat owner Alex Pratt.
The high-efficiency Herz boilers burn the solid fuel as well as the greenhouse gases that are otherwise released into the air in a conventional system. The technology is widely used in Europe.
In Canada, the Schurmans are leading the field in green technology, said Bibeau, who was at the Schurmans’ greenhouses March 5 to announce the funding.
“When I meet with a group of young farmers, they are very interested in sustainable agriculture and protecting the environment and walking the talk, I would say. Putting significant money behind green technology, behind green energy equipment, is just a confirmation of our commitment in the direction they want us to go.”
