22 Adopting Life Cycle Assessment for Various Greenhouse …
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demand of the heated tomato production, but infrastructure (43.3%) and fertilisation
and crop protection measures (25.3%) are the main factors of unheated tomatoes.
It is well known that Australia has the highest average solar radiation/m
2 of any
continent in the world. To investigate renewable sources, Page et al. (2014) reported
the outcomes of the energy demand of greenhouses. The energy obtained from coal
and natural gas were substituted by equivalent MJ through electricity generation in
photovoltaic systems for the medium and high technology systems. Regarding this
new scenario and the production of one kg of tomato, the carbon emissions from
energy sources used in artificial heating reduced from 1.4 to 0.31 kg CO2e and
from 1.57 to 0.4 kg CO2e, respectively for medium and high technology. However,
more energy is required for cooling rather than heating purpose in Australia. Further
research should be carried out in this aspect.
(c) Lightning system
Innovative and sustainable lighting systems are important components of modern
greenhouses. Aiming to investigate sustainable alternatives, Zhang and Zaho (2015)
(Zhang et al. 2017) compared different light systems, such as high-pressure sodium
(HPS), LED and incandescent lights. It is worth to note that the use and consumption
of electricity is the largest contributor among all the groups. One exception is the
incandescent compared to 18WLED due to the copper component of LED, making it
the largest contributor to carcinogenic category. The authors found that LED adoption
can result in a net 40% reduction in categories such as global warming potential or
cumulative energy demand.
22.5 Summary
From the global scenario in the agricultural sector, it is extensively required new
strategies such as sustainable approaches, sustainable materials practices and renewable energy systems to reduce energy and water consumption, GHG emissions, and
other environmental impacts of greenhouses crop production.
In Australia, protected cropping is one of the relevant growing areas of food
production with almost 30% of all farmers’ production in some form of a soilless horticulture system. Recent research, Tingey et al. (2018) reported significant
investments and expansion of protected cropping systems concentrated in temperate
regions. However, 58% of the total production of high-value vegetables (i.e. tomato,
capsicum, cucumber, melon, and eggplant) are supplied from an open field growing
region in QLD, WA and NT in the tropics of Australia characterised by climate
variability and extreme weather conditions (Tingey, et al. 2018). In this way, more
initiatives to research greenhouse crop production and environmental impact in less
favourable regions are needed. Page et al. (2012) brought attention to the combination of cropping system and seasoning. The results indicated that in season, low
357
demand of the heated tomato production, but infrastructure (43.3%) and fertilisation
and crop protection measures (25.3%) are the main factors of unheated tomatoes.
It is well known that Australia has the highest average solar radiation/m
2 of any
continent in the world. To investigate renewable sources, Page et al. (2014) reported
the outcomes of the energy demand of greenhouses. The energy obtained from coal
and natural gas were substituted by equivalent MJ through electricity generation in
photovoltaic systems for the medium and high technology systems. Regarding this
new scenario and the production of one kg of tomato, the carbon emissions from
energy sources used in artificial heating reduced from 1.4 to 0.31 kg CO2e and
from 1.57 to 0.4 kg CO2e, respectively for medium and high technology. However,
more energy is required for cooling rather than heating purpose in Australia. Further
research should be carried out in this aspect.
(c) Lightning system
Innovative and sustainable lighting systems are important components of modern
greenhouses. Aiming to investigate sustainable alternatives, Zhang and Zaho (2015)
(Zhang et al. 2017) compared different light systems, such as high-pressure sodium
(HPS), LED and incandescent lights. It is worth to note that the use and consumption
of electricity is the largest contributor among all the groups. One exception is the
incandescent compared to 18WLED due to the copper component of LED, making it
the largest contributor to carcinogenic category. The authors found that LED adoption
can result in a net 40% reduction in categories such as global warming potential or
cumulative energy demand.
22.5 Summary
From the global scenario in the agricultural sector, it is extensively required new
strategies such as sustainable approaches, sustainable materials practices and renewable energy systems to reduce energy and water consumption, GHG emissions, and
other environmental impacts of greenhouses crop production.
In Australia, protected cropping is one of the relevant growing areas of food
production with almost 30% of all farmers’ production in some form of a soilless horticulture system. Recent research, Tingey et al. (2018) reported significant
investments and expansion of protected cropping systems concentrated in temperate
regions. However, 58% of the total production of high-value vegetables (i.e. tomato,
capsicum, cucumber, melon, and eggplant) are supplied from an open field growing
region in QLD, WA and NT in the tropics of Australia characterised by climate
variability and extreme weather conditions (Tingey, et al. 2018). In this way, more
initiatives to research greenhouse crop production and environmental impact in less
favourable regions are needed. Page et al. (2012) brought attention to the combination of cropping system and seasoning. The results indicated that in season, low