Gretchen Schimelpfenig says growers can expect more opportunities to improve their energy efficiency efforts by collaborating with academic researchers.
Energy monitoring equipment can track real-time energy use of lights, screens, and fans and analyze trends in consumption and demand to save energy and increase profit margins.
Two panel discussions during the Indoor Ag Tech Innovation Summit in June addressed energy costs, one focusing on innovative solutions and the other on energy efficiency strategies.
At a time when energy costs must be managed more than over, the right decisions when renovating your facility can also lead to significant energy savings.
The greenhouse industry doesn’t need regulations to operate a more efficient greenhouse. They need the right technologies at the right price with the right knowledge.
These technologies save 12% to 50% and can pay back in as little as two weeks, especially at facilities located in regions with colder nighttime temperatures and winter seasons.
Two reports from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the Resource Innovation Institute recommend policies to encourage efficiency, cut costs, and reduce climate pollution in the controlled environment agriculture sector.
The Resource Innovation Institute and FarmTech Society are joining forces to drive energy and water data collection and analysis, with the goal of advancing climate-smart indoor growing practices.
Growers looking to make upgrades to lighting, HVAC, or controls systems within their greenhouses can take advantage of a statewide program that can help ease upfront costs.
The deadline is approaching for greenhouse and controlled-environment agriculture producers to take advantage of energy and water benchmarking services.
The Ohio State University is hosting a Greenhouse Management Workshop in late January that will focus on best practices to reduce energy use for quality greenhouse crops.
