Cumulative Energy Demand and Carbon Footprint of the Greenhouse Cultivation System

Abstract

The paper describes the influence of horticultural production in greenhouses under Polish climate conditions on energy consumption, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Four scenarios were studied, two of which were non-renewable fuels: coal and natural gas, while the other two were renewable energy sources: wood pellets and wood chips, to identify opportunities for reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Cumulative energy demand was defined to assess these four scenarios. The environmental impact was determined using the carbon footprint of the principal greenhouse gases emitted and using CO2 as the reference gas (CO2-equivalents). Renewable energy sources in greenhouse production can reduce the cumulative energy demand by 83.3% and greenhouse gas emissions by 95% compared to the coal-burning scenario. The presented research results relate to a greenhouse intended for growing flowers in pots, which has not been conducted so far. The article also updates the data on the environmental impact of crops grown in greenhouses located in Poland. The study provides important information for horticultural producers, mainly due to increasing competition and consumer awareness of the origin of products. Renewable energy sources in horticulture reveal a great potential in the reduction in greenhouse gases, and thus may become an inspiration to look for new solutions in this area.