ISHS Acta Horticulturae 429: XIII International Symposium on Horticultural Economics
ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN BELGIAN GREENHOUSE HORTICULTURE |
| Author: | N. Taragola |
| Keywords: | Greenhouse heating, Glasshouse, Energy, Fuels, Belgium |
| Abstract:
During the last forty years, an important development, cultivation under glass, was taking place in Belgian horticulture. A considerable amount of energy is needed for heating greenhouse cultures. The objective of the research is to gain a clear insight into the consumption of energy in Belgian greenhouse horticulture. Data on energy consumption were collected in a sample of about 420 horticultural holdings belonging to the Farm Accountancy Data Network of the Agricultural Economics Institute. On the basis of an extrapolation model drawn up by the institute, the collected data were aggregated to the whole Belgian greenhouse sector. During the period 1986–1994 energy consumption increased by 22% and reached the level of 25.445 million gigajoules in 1994. In the sector of greenhouse vegetables, energy consumption increased by 44%, due to the growing heating intensity in this sector. Energy consumption in the ornamental plants sector decreased, despite the fact that the area under glass grew faster. On the basis of the extrapolation model the composition of energy consumption by source of energy was also calculated. In 1986, an important part of the total energy consumption came from coal. By 1994, the situation had changed totally, and heavy fuel oil had become the most important source of energy. | |
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