Reduced energy storage - to minimise the carbon footprint associated with storage of GB potato crops

Summary

At the time the work was comissioned, a number of potato carbon footprints had been produced. In some cases storage had been highlighted as the biggest single contributor. However, the validity of these assessments was not clear and they were often contradictory. Therefore, there was a need for an independent assessment of the publically available carbon footprints to determine their validity and, if necessary, recommend how they might be improved.

Collaboration

FEC Services, Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research (SBCSR)

Approach

The objectives were:

a) Quantify the individual physical characteristics of commercial potato stores in terms of their affect on energy use.
b) Quantify the management practices of commercial potato stores in terms of their affect on energy use.
c) Demonstrate / quantify the energy and cost savings that can be achieved by adopting commercial best practice.
d) Review emerging technologies that have the potential to reduce energy use, assess their cost effectiveness and define any further work that might be required to stimulate uptake by growers.
e) To collate and evaluate potato storage carbon footprint data that is currently in the public domain.
 
Sector:
Potatoes
Project code:
R439
Date:
01 September 2010 - 31 October 2012
Project leader:
Jon Swain (FEC) & Adrian Cunnington (SBCSR)

Downloads

20138 Reducing Energy in Storage R439 v2

About this project

To reduce the energy cost and therefore the carbon footprint, and to assess the validity of existing potato storage carbon footprints and, if necessary recommend how they might be improved.

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