Energy is one of the largest expenses in greenhouse growing. Today, there are many technical solutions to help drastically cut the power bill. And yet, identifying the best possible setup among the many technical and climate solutions available, is still a huge challenge that needs to accommodate production targets.
• Hortinergy® is the first online tool to help design energy-efficient greenhouses for professionals.
• It provides users all around the world with an online simulation of their greenhouse energy consumption, both at the design or post-renovation stage.
• It makes it possible to compare various technical solutions using a database listing the main categories of equipment: types of glass, plastic membranes, climate screens, etc.
For an even more realistic user experience, equipment makers have the possibility to also boost their products’ profile using the software.
• Easy to access, it takes less than 15 minutes to set up a project, all you need is an Internet connection.
• Hortinergy®, the ultimate decision-making tool, is a great way to forecast operating costs before investing.
• It also allows for climate simulation inside the greenhouse as well as its impact on crop quality. With the online interface, users can compare several technical and economic scenarios.
Hortinergy is the result of a 5 year R&D project and is based on numerous innovations:
• Our innovative algorithms take into account greenhouse specific parameters: light transmission depending on the cover material, evolution in evapotranspiration of plant cover based on the outside climate, internal setpoints, crop type and leaf area index, etc.
• Models take into account both conventional (open buffer, co-generation, etc.) and more recent equipment (semi-closed greenhouses, active ventilation, etc.).
• Available with hourly, monthly or yearly periods, outputs include simulations of energy use.
• Also included are key indicators to ensure crop quality: dehumidification requirements related to disease risks, PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) reaching plant cover, etc.