CLIMATIC ADVANTAGES FOR GREENHOUSES LOCATED IN OHIO (U.S.A.), THE NETHERLANDS, AND EASTERN AUSTRALIA

The high level of winter solar radiation has typically been the assumed advantage of locating greenhouses in lower latitude countries.
The actual advantages are more likely related to a region having optimum growing temperatures in the winter and climatic stability throughout the year.

The average winter night ambient temperature in Eastern Australia tends to be between 10° and 15°C with limited variation due to the sea climate.
A typical winter day ambient temperature of 15° to 20°C and solar radiation of 250 to 350 langley per day results in 25°C or higher temperatures in Australian greenhouses without using fossil fuel for heating.

Northern Europe also has a sea climate.
Northern European growers, however, burn fuel to generate CO₂ and to raise the growing temperature up to the optimum.

An Ohio, USA grower must deal with much more climatic variation due to the land based climate.
Ohio growers will actually use about 20 percent more fossil fuel than Dutch growers for the same glasshouse even though they are at a much lower latitude.

Most locations have a technical solution for controlling temperatures with much less fossil fuel than currently used.
A unique possibility for highly variable climates may be to use polystyrene pellets for night insulation and daytime shading.

Energy Conservation and Solar Energy Utilization in Horticultural Engineering

Ted H. Short, W. L. Bauerle

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1989.257.11