District Eating Ltd (DEL) was approached by The Institute of Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield to complete this study identifying suitable locations for low carbon horticultural development in the city.
To investigate the feasibility of harnessing waste heat produced by the Sheffield heat network, and several of the city region’s major businesses and institutions and using the heat for heating greenhouses to produce food. The aim of the project was to map heat and land availability and to identify sites for further analysis via micro-feasibility studies. This project was completed in two parts, mapping and engagement, followed by outline feasibility that DEL call micro-feasibility studies. The point of this work was to short list opportunities for developing circular economies re-using heat to produce food, create jobs and training opportunities, as well as developing opportunities for social benefit across the city region.
DEL mapped the land owned by The University of Sheffield, Sheffield City Council and land owned by Yorkshire Water in the region of the Blackburn Meadows wastewater treatment works. DEL obtained data from Sheffield City Council and mapped in GIS the local area plan to identify location and type of future development. As well as mapping land and future development DEL identified businesses suspected of producing significant volumes of waste heat. DEL contacted all steel works, power stations, breweries, bakeries, food manufacturers, AD plants, wastewater treatment works and data centres in the Sheffield city region.
DEL engaged extensively with Veolia who manage the Sheffield heat network, and DEL staff walked the route of the heat network to identify potential sites for horticultural development. Positive engagements were followed up with calls to find out more about the extent of available heat resource and land. DEL also enquired about the availability of onsite CO2, as this is a key ingredient in commercial horticulture.
Land and heat availability were mapped on GIS. Where DEL identified sites with available land, and an engaged interested waste heat producer with available power and water, or a site on the heat network, the site was shortlisted as a possible location for horticulture.
Shortlisted sites were then prioritised through a scoring exercise that considered proximity to heat source or heat network, size of site, type of land (brownfield, urban park, contaminated land etc) and land ownership. DEL also considered likelihood of planning, aspect of slope, and sunlight availability. The result of this exercise was a shortlist of 3 sites. Micro-feasibility studies were then completed for the prioritised sites.
For each identified site District Eating completed a cost benefit analysis for both the grower and the waste heat or carbon dioxide producer. This enabled us to calculate a mutually beneficial heat and carbon dioxide price, where applicable. Business cases were developed for a range of cropping options using our bespoke financial techno–economic model. Land availability and heat and power availability were used to calculate capital and operating costs, revenue Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return and simple payback periods for growers and waste heat producers.
From this project District Eating:
Urban horticulture has a significant potential to create jobs, stimulate local economic growth and improve community cohesion as well as benefit wider environmental targets such as reducing food miles and their embodied greenhouse gas emissions.
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Key Performance Indicators
DEL asked Dr. Megan Lewis, Assistant Director of the Institute of Sustainable Food to score DEL against our key performance indicators. The results are as follows;
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being poor, 5 being excellent, how would you rate District Eating’s performance in terms of;
Testimonial
“District Eating undertook a piece of work for us in early 2020 to explore potential ways of connecting horticultural growing at scale with the Sheffield district heating grid. The project was co-designed through conversations with District Eating, and we found their expertise and network to be highly valuable. The report produced was impressively detailed and gave us the information we needed in order to decide how to proceed with our research. We intend to partner with Faye Tomson and District Eating as part of future projects in this area.” Dr. Megan Lewis, 21/12/20
Implementation Notes:
Dr. Paul Challinor, one of the UK’s top agronomists joined the District Eating team as a subcontractor to complete this work. Dr. Paul is an expert on controlled environment agriculture, and all aspects of horticultural crop production.
DEL planned and chaired kick off and close out meetings, as well as periodic meetings throughout the duration of the project.
Micro-feasibility study Client: A Local Authority and Local Economic Partnership The Brief Tomson Consulting Limited was approached in order to assess the extent of wildlife
Horticulture Opportunity Mapping Study, and Three Micro Feasibility Studies Client: The Institute of Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield The Brief District Eating Ltd
Feasibility study Client: Sheffield City Council The Brief District Eating was approached by the Institute of Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield to collaborate
