Validating the concept of the next generation greenhouse cultivation: an experiment with tomato

For a more sustainable greenhouse horticulture, a considerable reduction of the use of energy is needed, but trade-offs with production and quality are not acceptable. The Next Generation Greenhouse Cultivation is a concept for energy saving, consisting of modules that can be implemented step by step into practice. Use of highly insulating screens, forced ventilation and the integration capacity of a crop are the main components of the concept. To validate the results of a desk study an experiment in a greenhouse of 1000 m2 equipped according to the concept was performed. The experiment proved that it was possible to produce 69 kg.m-2 truss tomatoes with an energy demand for heating of 750 MJ.m-2. In the Netherlands, this concept is currently applied in practical tomato cultivation and in several other crops