In an industry with declining profit margins, and with volatile fuel prices, there is increasing need to grow greenhouse crops in an energy-efficient manner. The best approach is to attack this industry threat using a variety of strategies. In collaboration with horticulturists, agricultural economists, and agricultural engineers, we have developed this web site to provide summary information on production strategies and technologies that greenhouse growers can use to consume less energy and improve production efficiency. Please click on the links above for more information on each topic. Additional resources are below.
Greenhouse Energy Conservation Strategies
This 16-page summary, in pdf format, presents 13 production strategies and technologies that greenhouse growers can use to reduce energy consumption and improve greenhouse production efficiency. Topics include:
- Energy-efficient lighting
- Managing greenhouse temperature
- Reducing air leaks
- Retractable curtains
- Maintaining heating equipment
- Horizontal air flow fans
- Efficient ventilation systems
Although many of these concepts can apply to virtually any greenhouse-grown crop, the focus is on the production of floriculture crops in controlled greenhouse environments located in temperate climates. Written by Erik Runkle (Michigan State Univ.) and A.J. Both (Rutgers Univ.).
We thank the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council, who received a grant from the USDA Rural Development Office to help subsidize the costs of developing this energy resource. In addition, Project GREEEN has provided funding to researchers at Michigan State University to generate research-based information on how to optimize temperature and light to increase greenhouse cropping efficiency and thus reduce energy consumption.
The information on this website was compiled and organized by Matthew Blanchard (former post-doctoral research associate) and Erik Runkle (professor), Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University. If you would like to suggest a research-based article for this website, please E-mail Erik.
Permissions: We have made every effort to seek permission to use all material that appears on this web site. If we have inadvertently used anyone’s material without permission, we will be happy to make the necessary arrangements at the first opportunity; please contact MSU Printing Services Course Materials Program (Lynne Woods). We especially thank Greenhouse Management magazine and Greenhouse Grower magazine for allowing us to post reprints of their articles on this website.
Resources
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Environmental & genetic approaches to lower greenhouse heating costs
Published on March 22, 2012
To lower energy costs for greenhouse heating, we have taken two approaches: to optimize greenhouse temperature on a species- and seasonal-basis, and to develop genetic resources to help facilitate the breeding of crops that flower earlier. -
Scheduling bedding plants for energy-efficient production
Published on February 22, 2012
In this article, we discuss the effects of average daily temperature and starting size of plugs on flowering time and crop quality of a variety of annual bedding plants. -
Are you recognizing your heating costs?
Published on November 17, 2011
Crop heating costs increase as production time increases, the size of the container increases, and the earlier in the spring that plants are finished. -
Ten ways to heat your house.
Published on November 9, 2010
Now that the winter heating season has started, it’s a great time to evaluate your production practices and think of ways to heat more sustainably next winter. -
Biocontainers For long-term crops.
Published on October 9, 2010
Which of the many biocontainers is the most feasible option for long-term crops like poinsettias? Find out. -
Revisiting poinsettia cold finishing up north.
Published on August 9, 2010
Cold finishing makes sense for certain poinsettia cultivars. Find out which ones cold finish best, best practice strategies and how much money you can save. -
Reducing greenhouse energy consumption
Published on April 22, 2010
This article outlines our multifaceted approach to improve the energy efficiency of greenhouse crop production, both in the short- and long-term. -
Why use Virtual Grower?
Published on October 17, 2009
The Virtual Grower greenhouse simulation software translates your structure’s data and manipulates it to help calculate costs and make choices to be more energy efficient. -
Paper or Plastic.
Published on October 9, 2009
Does a conversion from plastic pots to Ellepots make sense for you? Researchers conducted an analysis to find out. -
Evaluate your greenhouse to save energy
Published on September 9, 2009
Walking growers through evaluating their greenhouse to save energy.