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We all know that facility agriculture is a new trend in modern agricultural development. It not only increases the supply of food but also allows us to stabilize agricultural production in an unstable environment.
However, the high energy consumption of facility agriculture has always been a headache. With technological advancements, we have some new energy options, such as biomass fuels, geothermal energy, cogeneration, and solar energy.
Today, I would like to share a case of using geothermal energy to reduce greenhouse costs, at the Caijin Smart Agriculture Industrial Park in Dezhou, Shandong, China.
This park covers an area of 505 acres with a total investment of 473 million yuan. How did they do it? They utilized “mid-deep geothermal energy” from underground, replacing the traditional “natural gas.”
They constructed 4 production wells and 6 reinjection wells, adopted “high-temperature water source heat pump” technology, building 1 geothermal energy station with a total heating capacity of about 21712 kW, which can meet the heating needs of 254,000 square meters of greenhouses.
This project utilizes the thermal storage of the Neogene Guantao Formation, which is buried at depths of more than 1200 meters. The single well has an output of 100 cubic meters per hour, with a water temperature of 52°C.
The well casing uses standard oil well casing (steel grade J55), which has a service life of more than 50 years. The geothermal wells use directional drilling technology, ensuring a reasonable well spacing, which can effectively prevent the “thermal breakthrough” phenomenon during wastewater reinjection.
They also adopted a three-stage heat exchange model. After the geothermal water (52°C) goes through the three-stage heat exchanger (reaching about 17°C), it is reinjected into the Neogene Guantao Formation, which is buried at depths of more than 1200 meters, achieving “in-layer and equal-volume reinjection, extracting heat without consuming water.” This allows for the sustainable use of geothermal energy.
The project leader introduced, this is the first time in Dezhou City that the ‘high-temperature water source heat pump’ technology has been used for three-stage heat exchange to increase temperature.
The heating circulation medium is heated to (35-46°C) in the first stage, then further heated to (46-65°C) by a secondary custom high-temperature centrifugal heat pump unit, and finally enters a third-stage custom high-temperature screw-type heat pump unit to increase the temperature to (65-80°C) for heating the planting greenhouses.
He said we have saved 101,500 tons of standard coal and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 24,000 tons. The smart agriculture greenhouses can save more than 11 million yuan in operating costs every year.
They also built a smart energy management and control system and monitoring platform. The intelligent control system can automatically control the water temperature and flow according to outdoor ambient temperature changes and the planting greenhouses’ heating needs, ensuring the entire system operates efficiently, saves energy, and runs stably.
The monitoring platform conducts real-time monitoring of data such as the water level, water temperature, and flow of the production wells and the water level, reinjection temperature, and reinjection volume of the reinjection wells, achieving efficient management and scientific utilization.
Through this case, we can see that geothermal energy can help us reduce the operating costs of greenhouses and protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions.
If you are also a greenhouse operator, you might want to consider using geothermal energy. It could be the energy-saving and cost-cutting secret you’ve been looking for.
We need to understand what geothermal energy is.
Geothermal energy refers to the heat energy inside the Earth. It is a renewable energy source because the heat energy within the Earth is constantly being generated.
Geothermal energy has been developed and utilized for a long time, but with technological advancements, we are now using it more efficiently and environmentally friendly.
In greenhouses, geothermal energy can be used for heating and cooling. In winter, geothermal energy can provide the necessary heat for greenhouses, maintaining the internal temperature so plants can grow in cold weather.
In summer, geothermal energy can be used for cooling, keeping the temperature inside the greenhouse within an appropriate range and preventing plants from suffering heat stress.
The operating costs of geothermal energy are much lower than those of traditional fossil fuels. Although the initial investment in geothermal energy is higher, its operating and maintenance costs are lower, and in the long term, it can save a significant amount on energy expenses.
Geothermal energy can increase the production efficiency of greenhouses. By controlling the temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse, geothermal energy can help plants grow better, improving yield and quality and enhances the economic benefits of the greenhouse.
Geothermal energy also reduces the environmental impact of greenhouses. Traditional fossil fuels produce a large amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants during use, while the use of geothermal energy can reduce the emission of these pollutants, resulting in a smaller environmental footprint.
How can geothermal energy be used to reduce greenhouse costs?
Firstly, you should assess whether your greenhouse is suitable for geothermal energy. If the greenhouse is located in an area rich in geothermal resources, geothermal energy can be an excellent choice.
You can consult with a professional geothermal energy company to understand the geothermal resource situation in the location of your greenhouse.
Next, you will need to design and install a geothermal energy system. This includes drilling, installing geothermal pumps, and constructing a heat exchange station, among other things.
This process requires specialized technology and equipment, so it is recommended to get a professional geothermal energy company to carry it out.
Finally, you will need to operate and maintain the geothermal energy system. This includes monitoring the system’s operational status to ensure efficient and stable operation, and regularly maintaining and servicing the system. This can help you detect and resolve issues promptly, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the geothermal energy system.
In this process, you might consider establishing a smart energy management system, similar to what the Caijin Smart Agriculture Industrial Park in Dezhou has done.
Such a system can automatically control the water temperature and flow based on changes in outdoor ambient temperature and the heating needs of the planting greenhouses, ensuring the entire system operates efficiently, saves energy, and runs stably.
At the same time, the monitoring platform can conduct real-time monitoring of data such as the water level, water temperature, and flow of the production wells, as well as the water level, reinjection temperature, and reinjection volume of the reinjection wells, achieving efficient management and scientific utilization.
Additionally, you might consider collaborating with other greenhouse operators to share geothermal energy resources, which can further reduce costs.
For example, by establishing a geothermal energy-sharing network, multiple greenhouses can share the same geothermal energy system, reducing duplicate investments and improving resource utilization efficiency.
Utilizing geothermal energy to reduce greenhouse costs is not simple; it requires specialized knowledge and technical support.
If you are interested in the application of geothermal energy, I recommend consulting with a professional geothermal energy company. They can provide detailed technical solutions and consulting services to help you better utilize geothermal energy and reduce greenhouse costs.
In the future, technological innovation will play an increasingly important role. Geothermal energy is just one of the options, and with continuous technological advancements, more innovative energy sources and technologies will emerge.
As greenhouse operators, we need to maintain an open mindset, actively learn and explore new technologies and methods to adapt to the constantly changing market and environment and achieve sustainable development of greenhouses.
Finally, I want to say that geothermal energy can bring us economic benefits and contribute to our Earth’s environment.
In today’s world, where global climate change and environmental issues are becoming increasingly serious, we need more green and sustainable solutions.
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