At Viken and Snarum greenhouses, vertical farming systems have already been installed in combination with their traditional greenhouse facilities. The hybrid farming facilities are unique in Norway, and the concept has been tested and analysed to a limited degree around the world. In HybriGrowth, the Viken and Snarum facilities will act as in-depth case studies, and the potential of hybrid farming systems will be investigated in detail. The main challenge today is that the artificial growth lights in the vertical farming systems generate large amount of heat, which calls both for efficient cooling and an improved recovery of the surplus heat. In the project, operational data from the hybrid greenhouses will be modelled and analysed in detail to optimise the use of waste heat from the vertical section for heating of the adjacent traditional greenhouse. Specific measures will be applied for optimised operation and energy savings, in addition to a minimal carbon footprint by a reduced use of fossil fuels. Systems with use of integrated heat pumps will be studied, together with the feasibility of thermal energy storage to reduce the overall energy consumption in the greenhouses. The aim is to demonstrate a sustainable concept for increased productivity and profitability in Norwegian greenhouses by energy-efficient operation and optimised control of the indoor growth conditions.
