Intensive use of greenhouse screens helps growers to achieve large savings in the use of fossil energy. The Dutch Kas als Energiebron (Greenhouse as Energy Source) program recently funded a research project in which protocols were developed to measure the physical characteristics that influence the energy savings (%) of each specific screen. This made a more precise and standardized calculation possible of the annual energy savings of each screen.
However, all these laboratory protocols have been developed to be used for dry screen samples, while in practice the screens are wet for most of the hours that they are used because of condensation. The energy savings of a wet screen can differ from the savings of a dry screen. To solve this, a new project has been developed in which measurement protocols have been developed / adapted to measure in wet sieve samples. This allows the effect of condensation on the screens to be quantified on how much energy the screen can save, can manufacturers help to design more energy-efficient screens and growers to select their screens and even how screens can be managed more efficiently. This research is financed by the Kas als Energiebron program of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
Source: WUR