What Future for the European Glasshouse Industry?

1. What Future for the European Glasshouse Industry? Lyndon Speck & Gordon Muir

2. Population growth Food security Climate change ‘The Foresight Challenge’“A perfect storm scenario”- a need for sustainable intensification Water availability Energy costs Regulatory pressures

3. A Need for Sustainable Intensification • Increased economic pressure on EU glasshouse industry, especially rising energy costs • What are the options? - do nothing and allow industry to migrate to S. Europe & beyond - take a pro-active stance and seek alternative innovative solutions • Innovation in LED lighting – an energy efficient cool light source • Placement within crops possible – and this holds the key for development of vertical farming systems • Question….are such systems possible (& viable economically)?

4. “Sustainable Intensification”….it is a simple and appealing concept – to maximise food production efficiency in terms of external resource inputs and on the smallest necessary land area. Crute, 2010 • Early attempts at vertical farming limiting due to poor light distribution(through shading of lower tiers) • LEDs offer a potential solution as lights can be placed close to the crop – and hence tiered to negate shading effect • Do LEDs provide the key to open the door to urban farming systems? • - thermal insulation of glasshouses very poor • - potential to substitute with highly insulated • warehouses (minimise energy demand) • - integration with photo-voltaic technology? • - industry relocation in close proximity to demand • (road mile reduction)

5. Unique Attributes of LED’s • Increased energy efficiency (but improvements still to be made) • A cool light source – so better in-crop placement & opportunity to pioneer novel vertical cropping systems • Improved spectral control (‘light recipes’ can be developed to suit specific crop requirement) • Long life-span, less breakage (reduction in labour costs) • Enhanced safety attributes (lower voltages & operating temperatures & reduced risk of glass injury) • More environmentally friendly (recycling, absence of mercury etc) • Greater untapped potential for crop improvement e.g. flavour, nutritional quality, pesticide minimisation etc • Greater biosecurity for pest & disease control and, importantly, from issues such as E. coli

6. Commercial Developments in Holland LED LIGHTING

7. Peerdeman Orchids, Andijk, Holland

8. Peerdeman Orchids, Andijk, Holland

9. Kreuk Tulips (for Cut Flowers), Holland

10. Kreuk Tulips – A World First

11. Vreugdenberg Kalanchoe, De Lier, Holland

12. Vreugdenberg Kalanchoe, De Lier, Holland

13. Fern Production at Vitro- Plus, Holland - the ultimate goal for multi-layer production (16 cropping layers) Potentially suitable for all plants in propagation, leafy salad & herb crops, strawberry, bedding plants, pot plants, bulbs, cut flowers & hardy nursery stock

14. So what about edible crops? A MYTH OR REALITY

15. Mark & Roy Delissen, Beesel, Limburg– and the ‘Deliscious’ brand Conventional production

16. Future Production of ‘Deliscious’ Lettuce An LED production unit in development and will be in commercial operation in Spring 2012

17. What are the Potential Benefits of ‘Urban Farming’ with LEDs? • No interference from weather – improved crop scheduling using PV panels (FiT) • Local Production – reduced road miles • Potential for co-location with major retailers distribution hubs

18. What are the Potential Benefits of Urban Farming with LEDs? • Significant savings in water use (ca. 90%) due to closed growing system in hydroponics • Significantly reduced carbon footprint

19. SUMMARY • Increasing energy costs of concern to glasshouse industry • The ‘Foresight Challenge’ makes us think about future options • LED light technology is developing apace – as a cool light source • Creates an opportunity to consider merits of vertical cropping systems again • Questions the actual need for a glasshouse structure due to inherent inefficiencies associated with need for capturing solar radiation • Warehouse growing in insulated ‘solar barns’ suddenly becomes very interesting Developments in Holland & elsewhere indicate that there is considerable potential in this technology - but economics need to be evaluated • STC are on the case….watch this space