Final Report Summary - GREENERGY (Energy Optimisation in European Greenhouses)
The aim of the GREENERGY project was to investigate the greenhouse energy requirements for different areas in Europe. A tool for auditing energy efficiency in greenhouses, a set of technical improvements measures and a guideline for the optimisation of energy consumption in European greenhouses was designed to be developed and tested in several case studies taking into account current and upcoming European environmental legislation.
Through GREENERGY, it is proposed an integrated and more proactive approach to the problem of energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions in the intensive horticulture sector considering environmental constraints. The participating IAGs and core SMEs firstly will gain know-how on energy auditing and optimisation, and then they will transfer the acquired knowledge to their greenhouse small and medium enterprise (SME) members. The project aim of GREENERGY is to reduce the energy consumption in existing greenhouses by 20 - 40 % through small changes in configuration and operating procedures. The projects' results show us that a successful outcome of the project will produce a reduction of production costs in the sector up to 30 %.
Results:
- Energy auditing software tool
- Investment decision tool
- European quality standards (EQSs) for efficient use of the energy in greenhouses
- Transfer of knowledge and skills from the RTDs to the associations (IAGs) and core SMEs
- Core SMEs and IAGs partners trained on the software use
- Software user's manuals
- Training material prepared as study cases modelling actual greenhouses to be used for the training of IAGs associates
- Dissemination of results: IAGs training of several SMEs associates (North East Europe, North West Europe, South East Europe and South West Europe)
- Property rights management plan
- EQSs proposed labelling.
Through GREENERGY, it is proposed an integrated and more proactive approach to the problem of energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions in the intensive horticulture sector considering environmental constraints. The participating IAGs and core SMEs firstly will gain know-how on energy auditing and optimisation, and then they will transfer the acquired knowledge to their greenhouse small and medium enterprise (SME) members. The project aim of GREENERGY is to reduce the energy consumption in existing greenhouses by 20 - 40 % through small changes in configuration and operating procedures. The projects' results show us that a successful outcome of the project will produce a reduction of production costs in the sector up to 30 %.
Results:
- Energy auditing software tool
- Investment decision tool
- European quality standards (EQSs) for efficient use of the energy in greenhouses
- Transfer of knowledge and skills from the RTDs to the associations (IAGs) and core SMEs
- Core SMEs and IAGs partners trained on the software use
- Software user's manuals
- Training material prepared as study cases modelling actual greenhouses to be used for the training of IAGs associates
- Dissemination of results: IAGs training of several SMEs associates (North East Europe, North West Europe, South East Europe and South West Europe)
- Property rights management plan
- EQSs proposed labelling.
