Feasibility Study for Electric Power Supply to Greenhouses at Volatile Current Supply Using Mainly Renewable Energy Sources

Concepts for demand side management (DSM) in greenhouses are developed that adapt to the increasing generation of electricity based on renewable energy accompanied by high volatility. They must be economically sustainable and ensure stable operating costs of the greenhouses. A dynamic strategy of the energy management considers the requirements on the power supply for an optimal plant production. Crucial characteristics of the concepts are the utilization of excess energy from renewable sources for variable illumination of plants in greenhouses and the use of buffer capacities by heat storage in water tanks. A cost-benefit analysis assures the optimal rating of production and storage capacities