Hybrid (Gas and Geothermal) Greenhouse Simulations Aimed at Optimizing Investment and Operative Costs: A Case Study in NW Italy

Jessica Maria Chicco, Leonardo Fonte, Giuseppe Mandrone (), Andrea Tartaglino and Damiano Vacha
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Jessica Maria Chicco: Interuniversity Department of Regional, and Urban Studies, and Planning (DIST), University of Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy
Leonardo Fonte: Direzione Edilizia e Sostenibilità, University of Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy
Giuseppe Mandrone: Interuniversity Department of Regional, and Urban Studies, and Planning (DIST), University of Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy
Andrea Tartaglino: Direzione Edilizia e Sostenibilità, University of Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy
Damiano Vacha: Interuniversity Department of Regional, and Urban Studies, and Planning (DIST), University of Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Generally, greenhouses are high energy-consuming, sometimes accounting for 50% of the cost of greenhouse production. Geothermal energy plays a very important role in maintaining the desired temperature and reducing energy consumption. This work deals with a project of a hybrid heating plant (97% geothermal energy and 3% gas-condensing boiler) for the innovative Plant Phenotyping Greenhouse at the University Campus in Grugliasco (few km West of the city of Turin). The aim of the study is to testify to the energy efficiency of this kind of hybrid plant as well as its economic sustainability. Numerical simulations of a GRT were used to calibrate the system and verify that the software reasonably modeled the real case. They helped to correctly size the geothermal plant, also providing data about the thermal energy storage and production during on and off plant cycles. The results show a thermal power of 50.92 kW over 120 days of plant operation, in line with the expected energy needs to meet the base load demand. Long-term results further ensure a negligeable impact on the ground, with a thermal plume between 5 and 10 m from the plant, reducing substantially in a few months after switching off the plant.

Keywords: greenhouse; shallow geothermal plant; cost optimization; modelling (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: 2023
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