The new greenhouse from Dutch tomato grower Greenco iallows for adequate lit cultivation with a closed blackout screen. The greenhouse is equipped with both a blackout screen and an energy screen, and a special Ventilation Jet system blows drier air from above the screen into the greenhouse.
From October 1st to November 28, the grower lighted the crop for an average 8.5 hours per night. During this period, the blackout screen was closed 100% for more than 98% of the time. Because of the closed screens a low pipe temperature could be maintained of 35°C on average, required by the grower to keep the plant in balance. During the last days in November, with outside temperatures below 5°C, besides the blackout screen the energy screen was also closed 100% during the lighting period at night.
According to cultivation and energy manager Marcel van der Loos, systems like the Ventilation Jet are necessary to keep the blackout screen completely closed during lighting. Van der Loos: "Now that the nights are getting colder we also close our energy screen up to 100%. We are very satisfied with our current system and will probably also be building with the same greenhouse equipment in Someren."