Monitoring energiebesparing en teeltervaringen bij energie-innovaties

Air circulation systems that allow controlled exchange with outside air are an important part of The New Cultivation growing (Het Nieuwe Telen in Dutch). Control over the amount of dehumidification and the air distribution in the crop provides growers the confidence needed to realize energy savings through intensifying screen use, reduced minimum pipe temperatures acceptance of a higher humidity in the greenhouse. In this project 10 horticultural companies that have invested in such installations were monitored and their energy consumption was compared to that of a carefully chosen reference. The air circulation systems are found to provide a 10 to 20% potential of saving on heating energy. This potential, however, is not always (immediately) realized. Some companies show a clear learning curve. First, confidence in the system has to be gained before the actual source of the energy savings, which is the increased application of screens and more humid growing conditions, can be fully exploited. There are also companies that intensified their production system together with the purchase of the new air circulation systems. The Intensification in these cases meant an increased application of artificial illumination and/or a lower humidity. At these companies, the air circulation and dehumidification system will not lead to energy savings. The diversity of companies that were present in this project provides a good picture of the potential of various air circulation and dehumidification systems, as well as the developments that tend to increase the energy consumption of horticulture