Europe: Debets-Schalke realises Solar greenhouse in Italy

A "Solar Greenhouse" project built by Debets-Schalke in the North-East of Italy 

opened last october with great interest. The project consists of three Venlo 

greenhouses totalling 43,000m² where a total of 3 Mwattp of Solar panels is 

placed. Alongside the priest who consecrated it, many other guests were also 

present: namely the mayor and all suppliers including Debets-Schalke. The region is 

very pleased with this project because of its dual function: employment and 

energy.

Words of praise were spoken by the owner and various guests about this 

project. In particular the dual function of cultivation and the production of 

energy is very positive. The grower tested different products for a year and will 

now begin with strawberries and coriander. Certainly the production of 

strawberries did very well in the tests, says the technical man responsible for 

cultivation. By growing crops in the greenhouse, production can start earlier and can continue for longer. The light which is obviously less in a solar greenhouse (but 

certainly not worse), does not obstruct this strawberry cultivation. Harvesting 

can now be done when the regular harvest is a bit slower. This also has a positive 

affect on the price.

The energy that is produced is far above the expectations in this greenhouse. The 

greenhouse is placed facing the south and stands at an angle of 22 degrees. 

"The idea has always been to keep the greenhouse as similar as possible to the 

standard Venlo greenhouse," says Wim van Weele of Debets-Schalke, who has 

been working on it. "The deck is adapted so the solar panels can be placed 

according to legal requirements and the requirements of the solar panel 

supplier. It remains virtually a standard Venlo greenhouse with multiple 

options."

In the wake of this project there are now new systems developed by Debets-

Schalke for solar panels both with and without an aluminium frame. Currently 

our own solar panels with frame can even be placed in a completely standard 

greenhouse. Alongside the projects going on in different countries, solar greenhouses have also been successfully realised in the Netherlands.