'Your opportunity to learn about cost saving and new technology in glasshouse soft fruit crops'
For many years, HDC has been funding an energy saving project called GrowSave. GrowSave is a continuous project which provides UK glasshouse growers with the latest information about state-of-the-art energy saving techniques to cut energy use and cost.
GrowSave is delivered by Farm Energy Centre (FEC) at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, who have extensive experience of working with growers to reduce energy costs.
The work has traditionally catered for growers of protected salad and ornamental crops, but with an increasing area of glass in the UK now being used for soft fruit production, HDC and its soft fruit panel members would like to extend the work to make it relevant to the soft fruit industry too.
This cost saving and technology event is being hosted at Leythorne Nursery near Chichester, by kind permission of Hall Hunter Partnership. It is being organised and run by Chris Plackett from FEC. It's purpose is to inform soft fruit growers about how energy can be saved in a soft fruit greenhouse and what technologies are involved. Topics covered will include heat, lighting, humidity, shading, diffuse glass & CO2.
The event will be run as an open discussion forum which will include a session to consider the energy research requirements of glasshouse soft fruit growers. There will also be an opportunity to view the glass at Leythorne Nursery to see how Hall Hunter is dealing with energy efficiency.
HDC is extremely grateful to Harry Hall of Hall Hunter Partnership for providing a site for this event and allowing us to view its own glasshouses.
Programme for the day
10:30 - Arrival and coffee
11:00 - GrowSave - 'What is it and what energy information can it provide?'
12:00 - Energy intensive processes – Open discussion forum
12:30 - Lunch
13:15 - Nursery tour
15:00 - Tea and close
For more information visit www.hdc.org.uk, and to register for this event please contact HDC Communications Co-ordinator (Events) Ella Stanton at ella.stanton@hdc.ahdb.org.uk or on 024 7647 8677