Union Maraîchère de Genève (UMG) has been looking at its carbon impact for a number of years now, and in 2017 commissioned a lifecycle analysis from Sofies. The main carbon emissions come from heating the greenhouses with natural gas. The purpose of this heating is to maintain optimum temperature, humidity and CO2 levels to maximise plant growth and fruiting while limiting the outbreak of disease (and therefore the use of pesticides).

Today, certain distributors are demanding total substitution of these fossil fuels, with a timetable that is not in line with the cantonal energy planning on which the UMG depends.

The project carried out with La Fabrique Circulaire made it possible to tackle the carbon issue in a comprehensive way by :

identifying technical solutions for reducing greenhouse consumption, as well as alternative energy sources (renewable energies) and potential carbon sinks ;

proposing decarbonisation scenarios in line with cantonal plans.

This work will make it possible to propose a credible and structured alternative to distributors, UMG's customers.