Cogeneration, also called combined heat and power (CHP), is the use of a reciprocating engine to generate electricity and produce useful heat at the same time. In our case, Soave Cogeneration’s system is actually a trigeneration system – producing electricity for the grid, useful heat for our greenhouses, and CO₂ for plant fertilization.

Soave Cogeneration is able to off-set Great Hydroponics energy costs and help the environment — while delivering 12 megawatts of energy back to the Ontario power grid to power 15,000 Canadian homes. Great Northern Hydroponics is the first greenhouse application in North America to successfully install a cogeneration system of this capacity, and to implement it with their cultivation acreage.

In 2008 we installed four gas-powered GE-Jenbacher JMS 620 engines and retrofitted the original greenhouse. This system also includes heat recovery, exhaust treatment, and noise abatement technologies. Altogether, this system creates:

• CO₂ — a manifold system collects carbon dioxide from the engines and boilers, preparing it to help fertilize the crops in the greenhouses.
• Heat produced by the boilers and the engine cooling system helps to heat the greenhouse to reduce energy input costs.
• Electricity — each of the four 20-cylinder engines generate 3 Megawatts of electricity, which is directed to the power grid.

Want to learn more about our cogeneration system? Learn more from detailed infographic.

New Expansion Project E-LT1

Soave Hydroponics Company (“Soave Cogeneration”) intends to participate in the IESO’s E-LT1 RFP to expand our existing cogeneration facility by 6.6 megawatts (MW). This will help support increased reliability to the Kingsville area. The IESO has identified Kingsville as a priority location for new projects in Ontario.

Description of E-LT1 Project

Soave intends to increase its existing cogeneration facility by 6.6MW through the addition of new generation at its existing cogeneration facility located at 1400 Rd. 3 East, Kingsville, Ontario Canada, N9Y 2E5. The Project is known as and Eligible Expansion within the IESO’s Expedited Procurement process.

The Project consists of installing two (2) 3.3 MW natural gas reciprocating engines within the existing Energy Building that currently houses the existing cogeneration facility.

The Project will be supplied with natural gas through the existing Enbridge natural gas pipeline and will connect to the existing Hydro One Networks Inc. (“HONI”) distribution grid at the road immediately in front of the Soave’s Great Northern Tri-Gen Facility.

Map of the Project Site