CO2 Fertilization

Greenhouse solutions with gas engines

Heat, light and carbon dioxide (CO2) promote plant growth. Plants grow by converting CO2 to carbon through photosynthesis. Air generally contains approximately 350 ppm CO2. Optimal CO2 levels depend on the type of plant and generally lie above 700 ppm. With increased artificial lighting, as present in greenhouses, plants absorb even more CO2. If the greenhouse atmosphere is enriched with CO2, the temperature kept on a constant level and sufficient lighting provided, plant growth and consequently the harvest yield can be increased significantly.

The energy created by gas engine cogeneration systems in greenhouses can be used in various ways. The electricity can provide the power for the artificial lighting and/or be fed into the public grid. The heat efficiently meets the greenhouse‘s requirements. In addition, the climate-relevant CO2 of the engine exhaust gas serves as a fertilizer for the plants.
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CO2 Fertilization

The diagram below illustrates the operation of a Jenbacher engine providing carbon dioxide for a greenhouse. While GE’s Jenbacher module generates electricity for the public grid, heat travels from the module through an exhaust heat exchanger to the greenhouse. A control unit monitors nitrogen oxide emissions from the catalytic converter and the amount of carbon dioxide in the greenhouse, and sends a signal to the throttle, urea tank and module.

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