Photovoltaic and Hydrogen Plant Integrated with a Gas Heat Pump for Greenhouse Heating: A Mathematical Study

Alexandros Sotirios Anifantis, Andrea Colantoni, Simone Pascuzzi and Francesco Santoro
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Alexandros Sotirios Anifantis: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
Andrea Colantoni: Department of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Simone Pascuzzi: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
Francesco Santoro: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: Nowadays, the traditional energy sources used for greenhouse heating are fossil fuels such as LPG, diesel and natural gas. The global energy demand will continue to grow and alternative technologies need to be developed in order to improve the sustainability of crop production in protected environments. Innovative solutions are represented by renewable energy plants such as photovoltaic, wind and geothermal integrated systems, however, these technologies need to be connected to the power grid in order to store the energy produced. On agricultural land, power grids are not widespread and stand-alone renewable energy systems should be investigated especially for greenhouse applications. The aim of this research is to analyze, by means of a mathematical model, the energy efficiency of a photovoltaic (8.2 kW), hydrogen (2.5 kW) and ground source gas heat pump (2.2 kW) integrated in a stand-alone system used for heating an experimental greenhouse tunnel (48 m 2 ) during the winter season. A yearlong energy performance analysis was conducted for three different types of greenhouse cover materials, a single layer polyethylene film, an air inflated-double layer polyethylene film, and a double acrylic or polycarbonate. The results of one year showed that the integrated system had a total energy efficiency of 14.6%. Starting from the electric energy supplied by the photovoltaic array, the total efficiency of the hydrogen and ground source gas heat pump system was 112% if the coefficient of the performance of the heat pump is equal to 5. The heating system increased the greenhouse air temperatures by 3–9 °C with respect to the external air temperatures, depending on the greenhouse cover material used.

Keywords: gas heat pump; stand-alone plant; greenhouse heating; hydrogen systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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