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THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER • JANUARY 2017
electricity sufficient for
30,000 homes via a new
systemwith a separate CHP
system. The structure’s walls
will consist of single glass
with roller screens. “The
ability to continue to address
the issue of energy efficiency
is an essential part of the
business. The set-up in the
new glasshousewill not only
allow us to generate our own
heat and power but allow us
to bemore analytical in our
approach and in the
calculations wemake. For
example, wewill knowwhen
we are able to use electricity
at its cheapest andwhenwe
havemore of it thanwe need
andwhen tomake use of the
other systems we have” says
Mr James.
The structure itself is a
bespoke project by Van Der
Hoeven. It will operate a
high-wire growing operation
to assist the company’s
ambition to increase both
yield and quality under
sustainable conditions
backed up by a Priva
Connext environmental
control system. Harvesting
will be between January and
December and the first crops
from the new glasshouse are
expected to be ready in
January. The Priva Connext
system has a process
computer which allows you
to connect andmanage all
the processes in the
glasshouse together
providing the necessary data
for the grower to prepare the
optimum conditions for the
crop going forward. The
computer uses data from a
number of sources whether it
ismeasuring and control
systems, or communications
systems for pumps, motors,
CHP installations, shading
screens or different sensors.
The Connext process
computer allows you to
create a single, central
network. Linking all of the
systems and controls is easy,
reliable and stable. The Priva
Connext is supplied together
with the Priva control module
library, enabling you to take
control of your energy facility,
including your boilers, CHP
installations, heat pumps,
buffer tanks andCO2. The
standard climate controls
allow you to regulate a large
number of conditions, such
as ventilation, heating,
screens, CO2, lighting and
air treatment. In addition,
your water supply and
fertilizer dosing is controlled
from a central location. It
can also be linked to other
Priva systems including
Office Direct and the Priva
FS Performance. This allows
the combining of climate
data with data concerning
labour, production and
crops.
Thanet Earth has adopted
some other new concepts
with this project. In some
parts of the glasshouse
diffuse glass will be used.
Van Der Hoeven has
supplied Albarino diffuse
glass with amid-haze and a
double Ar (anti-reflection)
coating. Recent test results
in Holland have shown that a
higher productivity rate is
present under hazed glass.
The Albarino glass is also
best suited for Thanet
Earth’s location near to the
coast in Kent.
Diffuse light is the process
of scattering of direct light
using a diffusingmaterial.
The different light diffusing
technologies that can be
used in a greenhouse
include; permanent coatings
and surface treatments,
temporary spray-supplied
glazing coatings. The aim of
using diffuse glass in a
greenhouse is to produce
more scattered light which
can then penetrate deeper
into the crop canopy. This
will then allow the plant to
usemore of the available
light for production.
The company has also
opted for Hortilux 1000Watt
sodium lights with assisted
growing. But why sodium
and not LEDs-whichmany
experts believe already have
shown benefits for use
under glass? “We decided
with this glasshouse to use
technology we already knew
andwere confident about.
LEDs will no doubt have a
place in our future but the
case for use of sodium lights
in this project made sense,”
saysMr James.
Thanet Earth has also
continued to address the
issue of waste with this
project. All greenwaste will
go to local farms to be used
as cattle feed and compost
and nothingwill go to
landfill.
u
The structure itself is a bespoke project byVanDer
Hoeven. It will operate a high-wire growing operation.
The PrivaConnext system has a process computerwhich
allows you to connect andmanage all the processes in the
glasshouse together.
