Sustainable Protected Cropping: A Case Study of Seasonal Impacts on Greenhouse Energy Consumption during Capsicum Production

Premaratne Samaranayake, Weiguang Liang, Zhong-Hua Chen, David Tissue and Yi-Chen Lan
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Premaratne Samaranayake: School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Weiguang Liang: National Vegetable Protected Cropping Centre, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Zhong-Hua Chen: School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
David Tissue: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Yi-Chen Lan: School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-23

Abstract: Sustainable food production in protected cropping is increasing rapidly in response to global climate change and population growth. However, there are significant knowledge gaps regarding energy consumption while achieving optimum environmental conditions for greenhouse crop production. A capsicum crop cultivated in a high-tech greenhouse facility in Australia was analysed in terms of relationships between key environmental variables and the comparative analysis of energy consumption during different seasons. We showed that daily energy consumption varied due to the seasonal nature of the external environment and maintenance of optimal growing temperatures. Total power consumption reported throughout the entire crop cycle for heating (gas hot water system) and cooling (pad and fan) was 12,503 and 5183 kWh, respectively; hence, heating consumed ca. 70% of the total energy requirement over the 8-month growing period (early spring to late autumn) in the greenhouse facility. Regressions of daily energy consumption within each season, designated either predominantly for heating or cooling, indicated that energy consumption was 14.62 kWh per 1 °C heating and 2.23 kWh per 1 °C cooling. Therefore, changing the planting date to late spring is likely to significantly reduce heating energy costs for greenhouse capsicum growers in Australia. The findings will provide useful guidelines to maximise the greenhouse production of capsicum with better economic return by taking into consideration the potential optimal energy saving strategy during different external environment conditions and seasons.

Keywords: greenhouse horticulture; Capsicum annum L.; energy use efficiency; sustainable food production; crop yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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