In a world first, industrial greenhouses are set to become low carbon in the UK.
Currently industrial size greenhouses are heated via traditional methods such as fossil fuels. This will be a welcomed change in lowering the food industries carbon footprint.
The solution comes from a bi product of water treatment plants. The waste heat created by treatment plants will be repurposed and circulated through a closed loop matrix of pipes within the greenhouses.
Building these new greenhouses will mean the UK will be able to grow more and rely less on imports with high food miles. With the low carbon heating system on top, it really does make it one of the lowest carbon intensive ways to grow food.
Its technology doesn’t stop at the heating either. The roof recycles all the water it collects, the glass has built in diffusers to maximise and even the spread of light. The vents even know what the weather is going to be and decides what position is best for the crop below.
Technology in farming is growing more popular and is becoming more autonomous. Which could be crucial going forward. As the current covid-19 pandemic has highlighted; with issues such as food supply, food security and having a workforce that are safe to handle food produce. Building hi-tech greenhouses like these can lower such risks.
To find out more about low carbon farming click here.
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