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Archives of Agriculture Research and Technology
[ ISSN : 2832-8639 ]


Use of Low and Zero Carbon Energy Technologies in Agricultural Greenhouses

Research Article
Volume 3 - Issue 1 | Article DOI : 10.54026/AART/1032


John Vourdoubas*

Consultant Engineer, Crete, Greece

Corresponding Authors

John Vourdoubas, Consultant Engineer, Crete, Greece

Keywords

Agricultural greenhouses; Carbon emissions; Electricity; Heat; Renewable energies; Sustainable energy technologies

Received : November 12, 2021
Published : February 28, 2022

Abstract

Climate change consists of a severe global environmental problem threatening the prosperity of our societies. Greenhouses utilize electricity and heat covering their energy needs while they mainly use fossil fuels and electricity derived by them. Heat energy has the highest share in the overall energy mix. The use of low and zero carbon technologies in agricultural greenhouses is presented in the current study. Solar energy, wind energy, biomass and geothermal energy can be used for heat and power generation in them. Various low carbon energy technologies including co-generation systems, heat pumps, fuel cells, district heating systems and low grade rejected heat can be also used for covering part or all of their energy needs. Many of these technologies are mature, reliable and cost-efficient while they are already used in greenhouses as well as in other sectors. They can replace fossil fuels reducing their carbon emissions due to energy use in them. Our results indicate that use of various reliable, mature and cost-efficient renewable and low carbon energy technologies in greenhouses can replace fossil fuels reducing or even zeroing the carbon emissions due to energy use in them.