Here is Vincent Stauffer presentation during GreenTech.

1. Energy prediction for
greenhouse productions
1
Vincent Stauffer
Agrithermic – Hortinergy
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
Green Tech
14th June 2018

2. Ing. Vincent STAUFFER
Agrithermic Director
HORTINERGY Developer
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
0033 6 301 778 94
Technolac - FRANCE
An engineering office specialized in energy efficiency
and climate control of horticultural greenhouses.
Based in the French Alps, our small size company is
now recognized among European specialists in this
specific issue.
A webtool to compare energy-saving options for
greenhouses – to build or to renovate – anywhere
worldwide. It simulates energy consumption and it
helps you to design an optimal configuration
before your investment.
www.hortinergy.comwww.agrithermic.fr 2

3. 1. Energy prediction : why and how?
2. State of the art
3. Tomorrow?
Ing. Vincent STAUFFER
Agrithermic Director
HORTINERGY Developer
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
0033 6 301 778 94
3

4. Operational forecast -> short term management (1 hour
to 1 week)
- to take action immediatly during production
- Automation or manual
Strategic foresight -> long term overview : 1 year
- To take a strategical decision (investment)
Why ?
4
2 types of prediction:
Objective: production <-> Climate: mean <-> Energy: costly source
Prediction helps to make decision

5. How ?
2 approaches:
• Determinist: based on theory (biology, energy) / causal
relationship
Fire + moist wood + O2 + … = smoke
• Statistic: data analysis (past, present, future): big data,
data mining...
We consider input/output parameters, not phyical rules
Fire 1900 – 2020 = high probality of smoke
5

6. Operational forecast -> short term decision
Strategic forsight -> long terme strategic decision
Climate & Energy Climate computers
Production Optical estimation Plantalyzer…
Climate
Production
Mix Climate + Production
Energy
Ventilation
CFD - ANSYS
Hortinergy, Kaaspro…
Virtual grower
Tomsim, Tomgro…
Priva, Hortimax,
Hoogendoorn, etc.
Software
Software
Software
Application to horticultural sector
Example
6

7. 1. Energy prediction : why and how?
2. State of the art
3. Tomorrow?
Ing. Vincent STAUFFER
Agrithermic Director
HORTINERGY Developer
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
0033 6 301 778 94
7

8. Operational forecast
8

9. Operational forecast: Climate process computers
Objective: to control GH climate & energy based on data
analysis of mostly climate and but also crop : past, present
and some future (weather).
Technology: - determinist approach
- Climate computers analyses weather forecast to anticipate
energy and ventilation needs
- automation
Maturity: mature with incremental innovation
Users: growers
Trend: more sensors (wireless)
more interaction with crop data (bio monitoring)
Example: Priva, Hortimax, Hoogendoorn…on worlwide market 9

10. Production forecast :
Example: Plantalyzer
Objective: to forecast the harvest to ensure better delivery
reliability
- assess maturity of vine tomato to select which ones shall be
harvested the next days
-> make better price agreements
Technology: determinist - robot, camera, software
State of art: emerging with start up
Users: growers
Future: more interaction with climate computer ? Other
players?
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11. Strategic forsight
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12. Climate SIMULATION (Energy + Ventilation)
CFD Computational Fluid Dynamics (1/3)
Technology: determinist
3D model simulates, air flow
- GH structure and canopy as input
- 3D meshing, time step
- Results: airmovement, T°C, HR, radiation, CO2
Maturity: mature
User: Researcher -> ex:natural ventilation
Lengthy : enter parameter, calculation
Company: ANSYS
12

13. CFD (2/3)
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Temperature
Humdity
Leaf temperature
Solar radiation
Semi closed greenhouse
CTIFL, south France
Modellisation by INRA
including tomato canopy

14. CFD (2/3)
14
CO2 level
8AM
11.30 AM
1PM
5:30PM
Semi closed greenhouse
CTIFL, south France
Modellisation by INRA
including tomato canopy

15. Energy – simulation software
Objective:
- heating, cooling & heating consumption
- Compare scenarios: make best decision
Technology: determinist
- Monozone (average T°C, RH, CO2 for a zone)
- Hourly calculation for a typical year
- Crop as input parameter
- Equipements ( buffer, CHP )
User: engineer, consultant, grower for project
- User friendly
Example: several softwares: horticern, Deperserre, Kaaspro 15

16. Climate control
settings
-----------
Day / Night regulation
Indoor parameters
Greenhouse
-----------
Location & orientation
Structure
Cover & Screens
Crop management
-----------
Vegetable/Flower
Cultivation methods
LAI
Climate
-----------
Temperature
Humidity
Solar radiation / PAR
Technical layout
-----------
Heat emission
Regulation
Open Buffer
Energy
-----------
Energy consumption
Power demand
Dehumidification needs
Economical analysis
-----------
Payback comparison
Investment scenarios
A complete report for each scenario
In a few minutes enter your
data online
Anywhere the project
is located
Climate (Energy +Ventilation) simulation:
Hortinergy
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17. A simple software to design
energy efficient greenhouses
17

18. A complete report for each scenario
Climate (Energy +Ventilation) simulation:
Hortinergy
18

19. A complete report for each scenario
Climate (Energy +Ventilation) simulation:
Hortinergy
19

20. An online interface to compare scenarios
and choose the most sustainable investment
A simple software to design
energy efficient greenhouses
20
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22
HeatingpowerKw/h
Hours
HEATING POWER ON AN AVERAGE DAY IN JANUARY
COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT SCREEN TYPES
No screen 1 screen 2 screens
One line scenario comparision

21. Production simulation
Objective: simulate crop grow and production
according to climate and nutriments
Technology: determinist
Maturity: most for university
Emerging: combination of determinist and
statistic approaches
Users: mostly researchers
Example:
Determinist: Tomsim, Tomgro, CROPGRO
Emerging: Cyeletech
21

22. Virtual greenhouse: climate + production simulation
Objective: simulation of a ‘’virtual
greenhouse’’
- crop production
- energy & climate
Technology: derminist, monozone
- Energy
- Light
Maturity: emerging
User: engineer, consultant, grower
Example: Virtual Grower (USA, ornemental)
22

23. 1. Energy prediction : why and how?
2. State of the art
3. Tomorrow?
Ing. Vincent STAUFFER
Agrithermic Director
HORTINERGY Developer
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
0033 6 301 778 94
23

24. FUTURE CONVERGENCE ?
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Climate modelling
Crop modelling
Climate sensors
Crop sensors
Weather
forecast
Energy price
forecast
Heating Cooling Lighting equipement
CROP
Automation Regulation
Prediction / Results
Profit - Production
Energy cost
Climate
Production
objectives
Annual - weekly
Crop price
forecast
BIM - (Building Interface Modelling)
material specification
External data forecast

25. ON GOING TREND: SMART DATA & BIO MONITORING
Major trend: bio monitoring by convergence between
- Smart data (30 MHz, Agrisensys….)
- Crop monitoring
Future: opereation forecast for
- Climate parameter will include crop growth prediction
- Harvest prediction (quality, quantity)
Collaboration between
- Well established players with an international marketing network (climate computer)
- Start up: smart data, crop modelling
What will be role/input of seed producers in future?
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26. MID TERM (disruptive innovation)
Big data to include crop modelling
Mid term: development of crop modelling by combining:
- Determist
- Statistic (data mining: examaning a large pre-existing data based in
order to generate new information)
Example: Cybeletech
Then convergence with
- data recorded by climate computer
- Crop modeling with software
- smart data – bio monitoring
- cloud

27. Sort term: speculation on energy price
Influence of short term speculation on energy price (electricity, gaz )
- CHP run /stop according to electricity cost
->large water buffer tank to store thermal energy when CHP is not cost effective
- Period of artificial lighting adjusted crop / electricty cost/trend
Climate computer, boiler, CHP… will be connected to energy market price/forecast
-> automation
27

28. Strategic foresigthing (1/2)
Future of simulation software
In near future: determinist incremental developmennt -> ‘’virtual
greenhouse’’
- Energy & climate:
- Inner climate with natural ventillation
- Semi closed greenhouse
- Cooling
- Crop: Crop producion (variety…)
- Carbon footprint including nutriments, embodied energy
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29. In mid term: disruptive (1/)
Development of Buiding Integration Material (BIM)
In building industry, BIM is a major trend
- Drawing elements include material specifications (structural, thermal , optical…)
- > A single drawing includes all specification for calcuation and simulation softwares
In our sector, softwares may include material library with branded products? cover, screen,
crop/variety, irrigation?
Example: Cutilene Albarino Mid Haze rather than 4mm clear 50 haze 2AR
A single software will simulate
- climate and energy
- crop product
- Input consumption (enegry, nutriments…)
- Design structure ?
Collaboration between software developpers and product / equipment supplyesr?
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30. Questionmarks about future?
• How data recorded by climate computer and other
sensors will be used tomorow ?
• Development of energy code for greenhouse ?
Simulation will be required?
• Who will have the best knowledge on short term
production ? And market ?
Role of seed producers?
• Investment in climate computer / software / sensors
will increase. They are not proportional to site size
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31. Ing. Vincent STAUFFER
Agrithermic Director
HORTINERGY Developer
v.stauffer@agrithermic.com
0033 6 301 778 94
www.hortinergy.com
www.agrithermic.fr 31
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
ANY QUESTION?