Greenhouse tech demo event a success

Caption: TomatoesNZ general manager, Dinah Cohen and covered crop growers speak with Ton Habraken from Ludvig and Svensson at the event

More than 30 growers attended the Vegetables NZ and TomatoesNZ greenhouse tech demo event in Pukekohe on 12 September. 

‘For growers to decarbonise, it is important for them to understand the technologies and support available for better understanding the latest greenhouse energy systems,’ says Vegetables NZ energy engineer, Ellery Peters.

‘The event attracted 16 suppliers who set up booths, which enabled growers to mingle with the suppliers throughout the day and find the suppliers best able to address their business concerns, particularly around innovation and sustainability.’ 

The suppliers included Apricus Eco, Polytechnik, Living Energy and Natures Flame, who are focused on biomass solutions for process heating.

• Apricus Eco and Polytechnik provide varieties of biomass boilers.
• Living Energy provides a blitzkrieg service around sizing and capital costs for biomass boilers while Natures Flame is a biomass supplier from Taupo.

Suppliers focused on electricity solutions included Simply Energy, Genesis and Stiebel Eltron.

• Simply Energy and Genesis are both electricity retailers who are focused on heat pump solutions, solar power and reducing electricity demand.
• Stiebel Eltron is a heat pump manufacturer specialising in air source and ground source heat pumps.

Ellery says new technology entering the market was another focus for the event. ‘The aim was to get suppliers who were new to the market to show growers the new technology that is being developed.’  

• Hot Lime Labs generates heat and CO₂ from biomass.
• FTEK Robotics is a company working to address the labour shortages in greenhouses.
• Nucleer International is a composite materials company building more energy efficient, cheaper, and clearer glass substitutes.
• Air Solutions and Advanced Hort are the suppliers of dehumidification units that are very well suited for glasshouse operations.

Apex Greenhouses, Powerplants and Ludvig Svensson were also present at the event. These are well-known greenhouse companies who can provide a range of services and products to customers.

• Apex Greenhouses construct glasshouses around New Zealand and Australia, and provide custom designs based on the need of the grower.
• Powerplants Is focused on supplying innovative solutions for growers, specifically around advancing plant production and food sustainability.
• Ludvig Svensson is a Netherlands based company that supplies climate solutions worldwide. They are the leading supplier of thermal screens for greenhouses.

The Auckland Council and EECA were also both at the event to offer support around the new emissions consenting requirements for growers emitting more than 500 Tonnes of CO₂.

Emissions reduction plan templates are available on the EECA website to support growers with obtaining an emissions reduction consent.

To see a list of the suppliers who attended the event, click here.