WUR investigates transparent and energy-efficient coating

Added on 20 April 2022

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WUR investigates transparent and energy-efficient coating

The more light, the higher - potentially - the production of a crop. That is why growers are looking for glass that is as transparent as possible for their greenhouses. However, that glass also ensures that a relatively large amount of heat escapes from the greenhouse: it does not stop enough radiant heat losses. The Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs of Wageningen University & Research is therefore investigating whether a 'low-emission' coating can provide an optimal combination of light radiation and energy savings.

Glass with a 'low emission' coating from glass manufacturer AGC has a high light transmission and can nevertheless result in energy savings of approximately 20 percent according to the calculations. But the coating also ensures a slightly higher temperature in the greenhouse - especially in the summer - and because the glass becomes warmer for less condensation.

As a result, less dehumidification takes place against the greenhouse roof. To prevent cultivation problems, the greenhouse will therefore have to be ventilated a little more. In other words: more heat and CO2 potentially disappear from the greenhouse during dehumidification. And that can affect production. Due to state-of-the-art dehumidification with latent heat recovery, the demand for dehumidification via the vents will decrease in any case.