ComEd is collaborating with EPRI, an independent, nonprofit energy R&D institute, to install four container farms across northern Illinois.
"ComEd is proud to collaborate on this exciting project that will help sustainably increase access to healthy food in our communities and provide agricultural learning opportunities using this innovative farming method," said Gil C. Quiniones, CEO of ComEd.
Each farm, which was fully installed and activated in early December, will be managed by a local organization that will receive training from ComEd, EPRI, and the farm's manufacturer before becoming farm managers to the pod. Locations of each farm and their supporting organizations are:
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4927 S. Indiana Ave. in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, managed by the Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative
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5812 S. Green St. in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, managed by Grow Greater Englewood
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Northern Illinois University Anderson Hall, 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy, Dekalb, Ill., managed by Northern Illinois University's Edible Campus program
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1443 S. Harding Ave. in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, managed by the Young Men's Educational Network (YMEN)
"EPRI is excited to include ComEd as part of this larger collaborative project and explore potential opportunities from this CEA farm to benefit the northern Illinois community," says Arshad Mansoor, president and CEO of EPRI.
"A primary tenet of Emerald South's work is the stewardship of the vacant land in our communities. With this farm at the closed Overton school, we look forward to supporting the food accessibility of our residents by partnering with the community to promote land care and environmental sustainability," said Ghian Foreman, President and CEO of Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative.
ComEd is one of 16 energy companies participating in EPRI's national study designed to demonstrate and better understand opportunities surrounding indoor food production and CEA farm operation. Through the M&V system, EPRI researchers can evaluate how energy loads, water use, and other controlled parameters vary across different facilities and locations. Other trackable data will help address questions regarding distribution planning, rate design, and larger societal benefits. After about 16 months of growth, ComEd and EPRI will collect, document, and publish project data and results to share lessons learned and best practices with other utilities and communities.
Read the rest of the comments from the parties involved here.
For more information:
ComEd
+1 800 334 7661
www.comed.com
EPRI
+1 800 313 3774
epriu@epri.com
www.epri.com