Why Strategic Energy and Water Management Are Driving Controlled-Environment Agriculture
November 20, 2021 
Protected agriculture is a fast-growing market sector that has the potential to impact energy and water use in major ways. Dependably meeting the needs of both the business and public sectors has become a priority for energy and water suppliers who want to rethink and redesign their systems to respond to emerging challenges and regional climate goals.
Protected agriculture operations will need to place more importance on engaging energy suppliers and efficiency programs to gain technical support and incentives for sustainable energy infrastructure and achieve continuously more sustainable operations.
“If indoor growing is to be the solution for our food security and food safety, then looking at the segment holistically around the need for energy is critical to ensure a sustainable segment,” says Travis Graham, Global Segment Leader-Horticulture at Schneider Electric, who will be joined by a group of other market experts to address the topic at Greenhouse Grower’s GROW Executive Summit in December.
Derek Smith, Executive Director of the Resource Innovation Institute, is moderating an energy management session that will include Graham and Jennifer Thorne Amann, Buildings Program Director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
“Energy management is really data management,” Graham says. “When deciding your energy management roadmap, you need to decide what data you need, how you get that data and then how you will manage the data.”
The presentation will indeed address this topic, as well as:
- Energy management models from other energy-critical industries
- Strategies and accounting methods for achieving carbon-neutral operations
- The role of lighting and environmental control in driving energy savings, and how to optimize quality, yield and profit through best practices
- How to work with utilities and efficiency programs to maximize ROI
- The pros and cons of flexible load management and demand response programs to access dynamic electric rates and financial incentives
- How consumers and businesses will account for the embodied carbon impact of their food choices
- Hydrogen and other horizon energy sources, and how you can prepare.
Prior to the energy management session, Al Zylstra, Manager of DRAMMwater, a segment of Dramm Corporation, will address why managing your water is mission-critical, and why water management practices have garnered more attention from state and federal governments as drought and clean water crises affect communities globally.
“Water restrictions, new regulations, natural disasters impacting water scarcity and quality, and more are just a few of the things you’ll need to think about as you decide how your business can deploy a climate-resilient water management strategy,” Zylstra says.
Attendees will also learn:
- The water related business challenges on the 5-10 year horizon, and how climate risk will impact them
- The importance of strategic water management in increasing resilience
- Best practices for your operations, including water resiliency and life cycle planning
- How existing and upcoming legislation and state and federal regulations will impact water management priorities and the way businesses implement water management plans.
Check out the complete GROW Executive Summit agenda here.
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