Growing greenhouse grapes with negative carbon footprint
Greece winemaker Tsantalis developed an experimental greenhouse for viticulture cultivation, using Solar Glass of the company Brite. This fully automated greenhouse has a cultivation area of 1,200 m² and operates all year round due to its heating and cooling systems. The cultivated crop is a grape variety native to Greece, called Αsyrtiko, and used for making white wine.
Greek winemaker Tsantalis has developed an experimental greenhouse for viticulture using Brite's solar glass. This fully automated greenhouse has a growing area of 1,200 square meters and operates all year round thanks to its heating and cooling system. The cultivated crop is a grape variety native to Greece called Αsyrtiko, which is used to make white wine.
After a cultivation cycle, Brite conducted a detailed study aimed to determine the carbon footprint per kilogram of grapes produced in the greenhouse. The study considers all factors contributing to the CO2 emissions footprint:
After a cultivation cycle, Brite carried out a detailed study aimed at determining the carbon footprint per kilogram of grapes in the greenhouse. The study takes into account all the factors that contribute to the CO2 emissions footprint:
i. Greenhouse infrastructure
ii. Heating / cooling energy requirements
iii. Electricity needs & Brite’s solar glass PV system electricity production
iv. Crop Cultivation Operations
v. Fertilizers & Plant Protection Products
vi. Irrigation
i. Greenhouse infrastructure ii. Heating/cooling energy requirements iii. Electricity demand & Brite Semiconductor's solar glass photovoltaic system power production iv. Crop cultivation operations v. Fertilizer and plant protection products vi. Irrigation
The study outcome for this cultivation yields a carbon footprint of -15,78 kg CO2e / kg of produced grapes which is an extraordinary result and perhaps a global first for a negative carbon footprint for crop cultivation.
The results of the study on this cultivation produced a carbon footprint of -15,78 kg CO2e / kg grapes, which is an extraordinary result and perhaps the first negative carbon footprint for the cultivation of a crop in the world.
This result is highly attributed to the solar glass used in the greenhouse and the clean energy it produces. It points to a great potential and hope for reversing climate change by eliminating or even reversing the carbon footprint in agriculture by using solar glass in greenhouses and Agri-PV systems.
This result is due in large part to the solar glass used in the greenhouse and the clean energy it produces. It points to the great potential and promise of reversing climate change by using solar glass in greenhouses and agricultural photovoltaic systems to eliminate or even reverse the carbon footprint of agriculture.
The greenhouse developed by Brite was partially funded by EU’s H2020 SME Instrument Phase II program, Project PanepowerSW 804554 titled: “Transparent Solar Panel Technology for Energy Autonomous Greenhouses and Glass Buildings” under the direction of Program Adviser Dr. Marco Cecchetto.
The greenhouse developed by Brite is partly funded by the second phase of the EU's H2020 SME Instrument program, the PanepowerSW project, 804554 project titled: "Transparent Solar Panel Technology for Energy-Independent Greenhouses and Glass Buildings", directed by project consultant Dr. Marco Cecchetto. Compiled by Chen Jiaoyun