Articles
NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE RATIONAL USE OF ENERGY IN GREENHOUSE HORTICULTURE IN NORTHERN EUROPE
V.E.K. has various specialisms combined inside the company.
Due to the fact that V.E.K. consists of 5 different departments and considering V.E.K.’s wide experience V.E.K. is capable of designing and evaluating systems economically as well as horticultural.
Around 1980, energy saving was used to reduce the high energy costs.
In the coming ten years, energy saving will have to be used to reduce gas emissions from fossile fuel utilisation.
Beside energy saving, it is also possible to use alternative energy for greenhouse heating.
Alternative energy is usually available as heat with a low temperature.
The use of 100% energy with a low temperature will need bigger investment in the greenhouse heating systems to obtain the same amount of heat and could create an inferiour greenhouse climate.
Design of heating systems depends on the success of these forms of energy.
A greenhouse heating system is more than just heating a room to a temperature wished for.
A greenhouse is by its construction heavily sensitive for climate changes, especially the heat of the sun is a big influence.
The heating system will have to react quickly on these changes of the outside conditions and create a stable and equal climate.
A heating system heated on a low temperature usually has a large buffer capacity.
The greenhouse heating system is designed for extreme outside conditions.
Most times of the year the heating system only needs to heat with 20% of the maximum capacity.
In case of this low heat demand, the system needs to be able to create an active climate that means heating elements heated at high temperatures.
This calls for more individually operated systems in the same greenhouse.
This active climate is important for growing especiall vegetables.