ReFarm + IGS to launch food waste-to-value gigafarm in Dubai

RECYCLING-

ReFarm to launch giant food waste facility in Dubai’s Food Tech Valley by 2026:Dubai-based Food Tech Valley has signed an agreement with ReFarm — a project led by UAE’s SSK Enterprise and UK’s Christof Global Impact (CGI) — to construct a 900k sq ft gigafarmwith a capacity to recycle more than 50k tons of food waste a year, according to a statement. Once completed, the waste-to-value farm will produce 2 bn plants annually, replacing 1% of the UAE’s fresh produce imports. This project is the first of its kind in the world, according to the statement.

More details: Construction of the sustainable farm is scheduled to begin next year, with the farm anticipated to be fully operational by 2026. ReFarm’s project will be developed using vertical farming technology established by Scotland-based Intelligent Growth Solutions, and will seek funding from the UK government’s export credit agency UK Export Finance. Food Tech Valley — the initiative hosting the gigafarm — is aiming to grow over 3 mn kgs of produce each year in efforts to decarbonise food production in the UAE.

‍How it works: Six complementary technologies will operate together on the Dubai Food Tech Valley site to create a closed-loop waste-to-value system, the statement explains. Black soldier fly larvae will recycle food waste on-site, producing organic compost for agriculture, sustainable animal feed, and water for vertical farming. The system will also recover up to 90% of ammonia sulfate from wastewater for plant fertilizers and generate organic biodegradable polymers to gradually supply water and nutrients to crops in dry areas.

CLEAN ENERGY-

South Korea’s SEMP Group debuts AI-powered clean generator at COP28: South Korea-based SEMP Group and Abu Dhabi-based Global Solutions for Project Management unveiled their AI Smart Electromagnetic Generator (AISEG) at COP28, according to a statement. The novel technology, developed over four years, is set to supply energy without producing carbon emissions. The generator has over 70 patents registered in 60 countries.

How does it work? The generator operates without any rotating parts that produce emissions. The “self-powered” generator produces energy without using diesel or any other type of fossil fuel, generating clean and zero emission energy. The AISEG is also reportedly the first power generation system that produces energy with more capacity than the initial input.