Greenhouse Energy Webinar Series

Growers can often reduce energy cost by 30 to 50% by using energy efficient growing practices, tightening the greenhouse enclosure to reduce infiltration losses, replacing inefficient heating systems and installing curtain systems. Often growers turn to wood as a way to reduce energy costs instead of implementing efficiency measures. But some of the wood boilers are very inefficient and may cost more to operate than if energy efficiency measures were implemented. This webinar series covers energy measures for greenhouse, thermal curtain systems and the use of biomass energy for heating greenhouses.

The speaker is Scott Sanford, a Sr. Outreach Specialist in the department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He works on energy issues in agriculture and renewable energy.

This webinar was supported by funding from NCR-SARE as part of a Professional Development project coordinated by Scott Sanford. 

Greenhouse Energy Efficiency

Topics of this webinar include type of structure, glazing materials, types of heat loss, infiltration losses, heating systems, heat distribution, thermal curtains, space efficiency, summer ventilation, supplemental lighting and a brief look at passive solar greenhouse design.

Thermal Shade Curtains for Greenhouses

Topics of this webinar include the advantages and uses of a curtain system, types of configurations, installation issues, basic components, types of curtain materials, installation, curtain opening devices, controls, curtain management, approximate energy savings and installed costs. We also look at an alternative technology that uses foam between poly films to reduce heat losses. There are several greenhouse energy estimation tools available for estimating the energy use and potential energy savings from different energy conserving technologies and management practices reviewed.

Alternative Fuels for Heating Greenhouses

This presentation looks at different potential fuel sources (biomass & used oils), types of furnaces and boilers including outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters, pellet or grain fired boilers/furnaces, stand alone stoves and a case study of two greenhouses. Sanford wraps up the presentation with information on energy grants to help pay cost share the capital costs of energy saving equipment or heating equipment to burn a renewable fuel.

Want more information? See the related SARE grant(s) ENC09-110, Building Extension Capacity in the North Central Region to Address Agricultural Energy Use .