REDONA is working in conjunction with CEA systems and Cornell University to implement their controlled greenhouse environment agriculture technology. The CO2 stored from the biomass energy production is necessary in the make-up of Cornell's patented algorithm.  The CO2 along with hourly controlled heat and lighting can be generated from the byproducts of the REDONA system.

In northern climates, supplemental light will normally be required to meet the daily target integral.  Producing this light requires an electrical load which is computer controlled to arbitrage the spot utility market and the greenhouse production market.  This results in load balancing on the electrical supply grid and more efficient use of electrical generation sources.

Another aspect of our work is to enhance light use efficacy by controlling the greenhouse level of atmospheric carbon dioxide in an economically optimum way.  Adding carbon dioxide to the greenhouse atmosphere raises biomass productivity, or permits the same level of productivity with reduced lighting.  Our controller will control supplemental lighting (and movable shades on sunny days) and the carbon dioxide  concentration in the greenhouse to optimize the plant growth trajectory from germination to harvest.  

This corresponds to a reduced mass of carbon dioxide stored at the electricity generating station of approximately 80 pounds per square foot-year of greenhouse area.  Small amounts of carbon dioxide vented from the greenhouse to the atmosphere by leaks and occasional ventilation for temperature control, represent a small fraction of the carbon savings at the power plant. Even more favorably, if the supplemental carbon dioxide is obtained from the heating system, it is sequestered on site and never enters atmospheric circulation.