Greenhouse Technology

Greenhouse Technology

Creating the optimal climatic conditions is one of the key factors in horticulture, and one of the principle benefits of a greenhouse. 

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Creating The Perfect Growing Conditions, All Year Round

Climate-controlled greenhouse projects are enabling crops to grow faster, more efficiently, more sustainably, any time of the year and in almost every external condition. This leads to higher yields and the best possible return on your investment.  ​​

At Netafim we have a dedicated team for climate management, delivering tailor-made climate management systems for every greenhouse we build all over the world. During the feasibility phase, we identify which systems will best suit your climate-controlled greenhouse project based on crop, location, available energy sources and market conditions.

READY TO GROW?

READY TO GROW?

Learn how we can help design and deliver your next greenhouse project.

Cutting-Edge Climate Management System

Our cutting-edge climate systems deliver precision growing conditions in any climatic condition around the globe.

We combine our own in-house systems with those of leading industry partners to deliver all you need for a climate-controlled greenhouse, whatever the crop.

Optimal growing ambient factors are carefully managed through cutting-edge climate controllers, sensors, weather stations, user-friendly software and – most importantly – the biggest training and technical-support team in the industry.

Gakon Netafim climate management systems will help you achieve an optimum yield while saving energy and being more sustainable. In short, growing more with less!

Innovative Heating Systems for Greenhouses

In a climate-controlled greenhouse project, heating is used to provide optimal temperatures for crop growth and for management of the humidity in the greenhouse.

Heating may be needed throughout the year, not just in winter. So in Gakon Netafim climate-controlled greenhouse projects, one of the key factors is finding the most secure, sustainable and energy-efficient heating solution that will deliver ideal growing conditions. That heating solution could be based on a geothermal source, combined heat and power, natural gas or light oil.

With our expertise in the use of sustainable energy, our goal is to help you deliver significant energy savings – leading to significant savings in operational costs for your greenhouse and farm.

greenhouse technology - Innovative heating systems for greenhouses

Delivering Optimal Growing Conditions Through Heating Systems For Greenhouses

Spreading the heat

Distributing the heat in a climate-controlled greenhouse is essential in order to guaranty optimal growing conditions.

Heating can be done by using hot air heaters in your greenhouse run on natural gas, petrol or diesel (which also generate CO2 that can be used to enhance plant growth) or by circulation of hot water inside the greenhouse.

Water heating method is the most common practise, especially in cold climate countries, and the most efficient one for large greenhouses or cluster of greenhouses.

In a water heating system, hot water is heated in a boiler and circulates inside the greenhouse structure and in between plant rows via multi-purpose metal tubes (i.e. pipe rail, grow tubes, snow pipes). The temperature and flow of the water is accurately controlled by the central control system based on the require setting points and an on-line measurement of temperature and humidity.

Heat management and CO2 production

Yields increase with a higher concentration of CO2 in the air, so we recover the CO2 out of the combustion process of your boilers and reroute it back into your greenhouse – first through a PVC distribution network and then to the plants via micro-perforated ducts.

Liquid CO2

Netafim has developed a special delivery system that is extremely accurate, delivering the exact amount of CO2 required to each plant. This system combines with your heating system, or can be designed to work independently.

Maximising your heat with a heat storage tank

In Netafim climate-controlled greenhouse projects, heat storage tanks are used to make sure no heat is wasted. During the day our heating systems channel unwanted heat into these water tanks to store energy. The hot water tanks then supply heat to your greenhouse at night.

Cooling Systems For Greenhouses

High-pressure fogging

Fogging is an advanced technology solution that combines irrigation with energy-efficient cooling – and can be integrated into your wider water-delivery unit. At Netafim we design low and high-pressure fogging systems, depending on what your project requires.

When high pressure droplets as small as 6 micron are pumped into a warm environment via special steel nozzles, they immediately evaporate. This increases air humidity which can be absorbed by plants, without the water falling directly onto the crop and potentially damaging it.

At the same time, evaporating water consumes energy. This fog can then be extracted from your climate-controlled greenhouse, resulting in a decrease in temperature of between 40 – 70C.

greenhouse technology - Cooling systems for greenhouses
greenhouse technology - cooling pad and fan systems

Cooling Pad and Fan Systems

A cooling pad and fan system is another cooling system for climate-controlled greenhouse projects. The main advantage of this system is high efficiency of cooling without any spraying water inside the greenhouse. A pad and fan system can also be used for increasing humidity if needed for your crop.

  • Outside air is sucked into the climate-controlled greenhouse through pads made from cellulose paper along the greenhouse gable side.
  • If the temperature in the greenhouse is too high, the pads are wetted. As the air passes through the wetted pads, the air is cooled and humidified by the water evaporating from the pad.
  • The heat needed for this evaporation is taken from the air itself. No external energy supply is needed. This is nature’s own cooling process.
  • Once it’s been through the climate-controlled greenhouse, the hot and humid air is removed by exhaust fans.

Screen Systems

Controlling the temperature and light in your climate-controlled greenhouse is crucial for cultivation. With a screen installation you can manage both, and save energy at the same time.

Netafim offers a range of screen options. Working with the leading screen-cloth suppliers, we can supply a solution for shading, energy saving, black out – or all three:

Horizontal screens

The most common screens for a climate-controlled greenhouse are horizontal screens. These use a pull-push rod or a pull-wire system, in which the fabric profile and the fabric move together along steel pipes. In the pull-wire system, the fabric is moved using stainless steel wires.

 

Vertical screens

A vertical screen gives you even more control and allows you to screen your production area on all sides. The vertical screen installation is attached to the facade inside and can be operated manually or by a control system.

 

External screens

Netafim also offers external screen, more commonly used in climate-controlled greenhouses in Asia and the Far East. An external screen ensures less heat build-up in the greenhouse, enabling less need for ventilation, better CO₂ management and more energy saved.

Screen systems in greenhouse (greenhouse technology)
Nursery growing systems (greenhouse technology)

Nursery Growing Systems

Alongside our greenhouse irrigation systems, Gakon Netafim supplies a variety of growing systems for nursery use, including specialized automated seeding lines, specialized growing tables, boom irrigation, cooling pads and more – answering all the needs in the life cycle of a plant in a nursery.

Auxilary Systems

We offer a host of climate-controlled greenhouse auxiliary systems to support your team from planting to farm gate. These include:

  • Seedling systems
  • Crop handling systems
  • Crop trellising systems
  • Sorting and grading lines
  • Cold storage rooms
  • Advanced electrical systems

Power Your Greenhouse with Solar Panels

Individuals and companies are becoming increasingly aware of the advantages of solar energy. Gakon Netafim offers its greenhouse customers a solution for generating usable energy from the power of the sun. We have developed a special deck system in which thin solar panels can be easily and safely integrated into the glass cover of new construction projects. The advantages are great. The solar system is easy to assemble and the energy yield is high.

Gakon-Netafim offers a system in which the PV cells are integrated between two layers of glass. The individual glass parts with PV cells are connected in parallel by means of modules. A central receiving installation converts the received energy into the correct voltage so that it can be supplied back to the grid or used again.  

Facade solar panels

Mounting PV solar panels in one or more facades offers green energy with more efficiency. The difference with this application is in the moment of return to the grid. Due to the vertical placement, the optimal energy production is later in the day than with regular solar panels. This means that there is less competition, so a higher price per kWh.

Floating solar panels

Solar panels on floats can be placed in water basins, making these otherwise useless water surfaces a great source of sustainable energy. This also enables a higher energy yield, because the panels work better when they are cooled.

Questions Our Greenhouse Project Managers Are Often Asked

READY TO GROW?

READY TO GROW?

Learn how we can help design and deliver your next greenhouse project.