03.02.2016 change 03.02.2016

Polish scientists developed a unique greenhouse - 10 times lower heating costs

Photo: Minerva Studio - Fotolia / Photo: Minerva Studio - Fotolia /

A unique model of greenhouse has been created by scientists from the University of Life Sciences in Poznań. With wall filled with foam and a climate control system, the costs of its heating are ten times lower, and yields as high as from a conventional greenhouse. It is the only such structure in the world.

Universities, institutions and companies from many countries are already interested in the solution of Poznań scientists. In comparison with conventional greenhouses, construction costs are approx. 10-20 percent higher.

The greenhouse can autonomously thermally isolate individual parts of the walls or roof, depending on the position of the sun. When using lighting lamps, there is no need for additional heating. The system can also use a biogas plant, which replaces all other sources of heat.

Włodzimierz Krzesiński from the Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at the University of Life Sciences in Poznań reported that the greenhouse was developed in the framework of an international project. "The foam in the walls insulates heat very well. The heat from lamps that provide lighting for plants are sufficient to heat the interior" - explained the scientist. He added that part of the heat is stored in buffer tanks and heats greenhouse at night when lights are turned off.

Compared to the standard greenhouse production of vegetables, and conventional processing of organic waste, the technology developed in Poznań allows for a 95 percent reduction of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Water consumption for the production of vegetables is also reduced by 80 percent, since the circulation in the greenhouse is closed. There is less use of fertilizers and plant protection products.

"The research on such greenhouses has been conducted in many countries for over 30 years, small, experimental designs have been built, but our solution is the first that can be used on a large, commercial scale" - said Krzesiński.

In addition to the Poznań university, two companies from Norway and one from the Netherlands also participated in the project.

"A Dutch company has provided the greenhouse structure. At our university we have developed the control system, including facilities that collect, store and dissipate heat, the climate computer and software. We are finishing the testing phase, and a Norwegian company wants to purchase licenses for our system. Later this year there they will be able to develop commercial greenhouses" - Krzesiński told PAP.

The goal of the project "Food to Waste to Food", conducted since 2012, was to develop an innovative technology for processing organic waste into food. The system included: biogas, cogenerator and active hothouse.

By combining a biogas plant and a hothouse into a single system, organic waste can be processed into food with almost no greenhouse gases emission into the atmosphere.

Electricity and organic fertilizers generated during the manufacturing process are primarily used in the system, but their excess can be marketed.

Włodzimierz Krzesiński emphasised that the use of CO2 to feed the plants could increase the crop of vegetables by as much as 40 percent.

Representatives of universities and commercial entities from around the world are coming to see the greenhouse from Poznań. According to Włodzimierz Krzesiński, the solution can work both in the countries of northern Europe, and in the African tropics.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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