Chapter 23
Process Modelling for an Efficient
and Dynamic Energy Consumption
for Fresh Produce in Protected Cropping
Premaratne Samaranayake, Goran Lopaticki, Wei Liang, Vivian Tam,
Zhonghua Chen, and Yi-Chen Lan
Abstract There are significant research and knowledge gaps on how greenhouse vegetable production can be optimised and the energy consumption can be
minimised. In this study, we conducted the analysis of crop production and energy
consumption together with the greenhouse climate and local weather records for a
capsicum crop in a national high-tech greenhouse facility at Western Sydney University, Australia. The analysis of energy consumption over the production cycle indicates that daily energy consumption varies, due to the seasonal nature of temperature
and the need for maintaining desirable temperatures at different growth stages of
the capsicum crop. Results also suggest that the system for maintaining temperature using for cooling and heating works within acceptable level of operations.
The theoretical and practical implications of this research include the importance of
assessing the impact of production cycle on overall performance, and complexities
around setting optimum crop production cycles subject to the changing environment.
It is concluded that protected crop production provides desired and quality products
at estimated times and costs, but further analysis is required for making protected
crop production can be adopted by growers in the region, under sustainable conditions of all aspect of resource sustainability. Future research will focus on developing
a simulated process model to provide recommendations on appropriate greenhouse
practices and crop management in order to effectively manage energy consumption
in the protected cropping environment.
P. Samaranayake · Y.-C. Lan (B)
School of Business, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
e-mail: y.lan@westernsydney.edu.au
G. Lopaticki · W. Liang
National Vegetable Protected Cropping Centre, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
V. Tam
School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, Western Sydney University, Sydney,
Australia
Z. Chen
School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_23
361
Process Modelling for an Efficient
and Dynamic Energy Consumption
for Fresh Produce in Protected Cropping
Premaratne Samaranayake, Goran Lopaticki, Wei Liang, Vivian Tam,
Zhonghua Chen, and Yi-Chen Lan
Abstract There are significant research and knowledge gaps on how greenhouse vegetable production can be optimised and the energy consumption can be
minimised. In this study, we conducted the analysis of crop production and energy
consumption together with the greenhouse climate and local weather records for a
capsicum crop in a national high-tech greenhouse facility at Western Sydney University, Australia. The analysis of energy consumption over the production cycle indicates that daily energy consumption varies, due to the seasonal nature of temperature
and the need for maintaining desirable temperatures at different growth stages of
the capsicum crop. Results also suggest that the system for maintaining temperature using for cooling and heating works within acceptable level of operations.
The theoretical and practical implications of this research include the importance of
assessing the impact of production cycle on overall performance, and complexities
around setting optimum crop production cycles subject to the changing environment.
It is concluded that protected crop production provides desired and quality products
at estimated times and costs, but further analysis is required for making protected
crop production can be adopted by growers in the region, under sustainable conditions of all aspect of resource sustainability. Future research will focus on developing
a simulated process model to provide recommendations on appropriate greenhouse
practices and crop management in order to effectively manage energy consumption
in the protected cropping environment.
P. Samaranayake · Y.-C. Lan (B)
School of Business, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
e-mail: y.lan@westernsydney.edu.au
G. Lopaticki · W. Liang
National Vegetable Protected Cropping Centre, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
V. Tam
School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, Western Sydney University, Sydney,
Australia
Z. Chen
School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_23
361