The circular economy of heat for Food for Our Own Good

Project lead

Dr Paola Sakai

Summary

The "Food for Our Own Good" project focuses on creating sustainable, climate-resilient, and equitable food systems. The initiative emphasises improving food accessibility, environmental sustainability, and supporting local, community-led food systems by using geothermal energy. It incorporates diverse stakeholder engagement and participatory action research to identify barriers and potential solutions for creating a fair and resilient food system in Leeds. This includes collaboration with local governments, communities, and various institutions to co-develop strategies that enhance food security while minimising environmental impacts.

With the collaboration of the local government, national organisations, communities, NGOS and other institutions, we co-developed an action plan to establish a pilot in Leeds and pave the way for the full-scale uptake of geothermal energy from mine water for vertical farming and glasshouses.

This MRes aim to investigate the circular economy of mine water geothermal energy for food production in vertical farming and glasshouses in Leeds.

Objectives

• To investigate resource optimisation where the reuse of resources (e.g. heat, water, waste) minimises external resource needs.
• To examine local by-products streams (e.g. heat, waste) that create synergies to reinforce circularity and ensure sustainability.
• To identify business models that generate financial sustainability and affordability for the vulnerable population.

Project outcomes

This project will develop recommendations about how mine water and geothermal energy can enable a circular economy system that produces food in urban areas and tackles urban inequalities in Leeds. It will advance knowledge about urban decarbonisation, resource circularity, reliable food production, revitalisation of post-industrial assets, and inclusive economic growth. This project will contribute to the larger initiative of Food for Our Own Good, offering opportunities for excellent candidates to continue on this research path.

For more information, contact: Dr Paola Sakai [email protected]