The greenhouse horticulture represents one of the most intensive energy sector in agriculture and strongly contributes to increase the energy and environmental vulnerability within regions having a large greenhouse farming systems in Europe. Specifically, the European greenhouse farming sector is facing a trend that responds both to the consumer's demands in terms of quality of products and the growing awareness of people about the negative consequences linked to the high fossil energy use and the CO2 emissions. Not less than 150,000 hectares of greenhouses are reported to be operative in Europe, of which more than 50% localized in Spain, Italy, The Netherlands and Greece. Investigation made from authors have estimated for these countries a greenhouse fossil energy consumption of about 4 MTOE, with 11.3 MtCO2 emissions, and a total yearly economy value in products and structures in the range of 12.5 billions €. Specifically, for Italy are estimated at least 6,000 hectares of greenhouses provided with acclimatization systems, with a total energy consumption of 0.74 MTOE, and according to an energy power load for greenhouse microclimate varying from 30 to 125 W/m2 in the southern areas to more than 175 W/m2 in the northern areas of Italy. This paper while providing a general view on the greenhouse energy consumption in Europe, focuses on the option of implementing the photovoltaic solar and solid as sustainable energy for greenhouse heating. This paper reports the main energy characteristics and availability of these renewable energies, and discuss the strategies for achieving of the objective for the large scale penetration of proposed acclimatization technologies in the greenhouse energy industry in Europe-27.
Photovoltaic solar and solid biomass for greenhouse agriculture
Viola, C.;Latini, A.;Campiotti, C.A.
2014-01-01
Abstract
The greenhouse horticulture represents one of the most intensive energy sector in agriculture and strongly contributes to increase the energy and environmental vulnerability within regions having a large greenhouse farming systems in Europe. Specifically, the European greenhouse farming sector is facing a trend that responds both to the consumer's demands in terms of quality of products and the growing awareness of people about the negative consequences linked to the high fossil energy use and the CO2 emissions. Not less than 150,000 hectares of greenhouses are reported to be operative in Europe, of which more than 50% localized in Spain, Italy, The Netherlands and Greece. Investigation made from authors have estimated for these countries a greenhouse fossil energy consumption of about 4 MTOE, with 11.3 MtCO2 emissions, and a total yearly economy value in products and structures in the range of 12.5 billions €. Specifically, for Italy are estimated at least 6,000 hectares of greenhouses provided with acclimatization systems, with a total energy consumption of 0.74 MTOE, and according to an energy power load for greenhouse microclimate varying from 30 to 125 W/m2 in the southern areas to more than 175 W/m2 in the northern areas of Italy. This paper while providing a general view on the greenhouse energy consumption in Europe, focuses on the option of implementing the photovoltaic solar and solid as sustainable energy for greenhouse heating. This paper reports the main energy characteristics and availability of these renewable energies, and discuss the strategies for achieving of the objective for the large scale penetration of proposed acclimatization technologies in the greenhouse energy industry in Europe-27.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
