SOME REMARKS AND QUESTIONS REGARDING ENERGY SAVING MEASURES IN PROTECTED CULTIVATION

In general we may state that the protected crops industry never has used the energy waste fully, because it always has been an important factor of expenses. But since the dramatic rise of fuel prices it has become profitable to take extra measures to reduce the fuel consumption of greenhouses.

The various possibilities to save energy in protected cultivation may be listed as follows:

1. Lowering of the heat consumption of the cultivated crops
2. Increase of the production per unit of energy
3. Improving the efficiency of the heat production and heat transfer
4. Reducing the heat losses of the greenhouse
5. Use of other heat sources as the usual ones

In the following special attention is paid to the relation between energy saving measures and the greenhouse climate.

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