Cost analysis of agricultural greenhouse yield production using spectrum selective fluids

• Published in: Solar energy 2024-06, Vol.275, p.112607, Article 112607
• Main Authors: Sajid, Muhammad Usman, Mahmood, Farhat, Bicer, Yusuf, Al-Ansari, Tareq
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Economic analysis; Food security; Greenhouse; Input-yield model; Spectrum selective fluid
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112607

•Application of spectrum selective fluids for optimal spectra management of greenhouses.•Working fluids transmittance data were coupled with greenhouse input-yield model.•Various greenhouse parameters were optimized to determine most cost-effective setting.•ATO-WO3 was the optimum working fluid with a LCOP of $2.25 kg−1. As global food demand rises, there is an increasing emphasis on local food production, especially in arid regions where traditional farming is limited. Greenhouses offer crop protection but require significant energy, especially for cooling in hot climates. Conventional greenhouse models estimate the energy impact of crop protection but not their influence on crop yield or growth. This work proposes a method to assess the cost-effectiveness of using different spectrum-selective fluids as crop protection measures to enhance yield and reduce energy use in greenhouses. The method consists of an input-yield model that additionally considers crop optimal set points, CO2 concentration, and leaf area index. The methodology was applied to a theoretical tomato greenhouse. The findings demonstrate that using 0.005 vol% concentrated ATO-WO3 as the spectrum selective fluid in a greenhouse roof results in the most cost-effective tomato yield at $2.25 kg−1.