Big Grower January 2020 - 8

TECHNOLOGY
Enlightening the Industry on
GREENHOUSE TECHNOLOGY
GLASE, a consortium of industry stakeholders, is working to accelerate the implementation
of new energy efficient technologies.
BY ERICO MATTOS
C
ontrolled environment agriculture (CEA) growers are constantly
looking for new technologies to optimize production efficiency and
increase operation profitability.
The development of affordable sensors and advanced environmental
control systems allows growers to monitor and control the crop production
environment like never before. In 2020, gathering information will not be
a problem; instead, how to use the data will be a challenge.
This uncertainty and the lack of published information have slowed
down the implementation of energy efficient technologies in commercial
CEA facilities. In the competitive CEA industry, the majority of the growers
will wait for a new technology to become widely adopted before trying it
in their own facilities. Take as an example the use of LED lights. Despite
the increased energy efficiency of LED lighting systems compared to
conventional high pressure sodium (HPS) lights, the LED implementation
rate is still low - according to the Department of Energy, just 2% of the
U.S. lit commercial greenhouses have adopted LED technologies.
To support new technology adoption, the Greenhouse Lighting and
Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium was created. GLASE brings
together different areas of expertise from academia and the marketplace to
create a hub for technology and information exchange among the industry
stakeholders. Researchers, growers and CEA technology manufacturers
are working together to lead the way into the future and accelerate the
implementation of new energy efficient technologies.
WHAT IS GLASE?
GLASE is a public-private consortium created to develop, transfer and
implement new energy efficient technologies aimed to improve production
efficiency of CEA systems. Formed by Cornell University, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Rutgers University, GLASE is pursuing
breakthrough research activities to improve lighting fixtures and systems to
synergistically control lighting, ventilation, humidity and CO2
, all of which
will improve CEA operations, reduce energy consumption and create a
more sustainable and profitable greenhouse industry.
Established in 2017, GLASE received $5 million from the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to fund a sevenyear
program with more than 350 technical milestones. Today, GLASE has
24 industry members, of which half are CEA growers. The participation of
industry members is an important aspect of the consortium framework.
8 JANUARY 2020
Neil Mattson and researchers at Cornell University are studying how plants respond
to light levels and CO2
concentration.
Through the participation of the board in the industry advisory board
meetings, CEA growers and technology manufacturers provide GLASE
researchers with technical feedback and guidance to ensure the
development of solutions to relevant industry needs.
DEVELOPING ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING SYSTEMS
In commercial controlled environment production, the key to acquire
and retain long-term customers involves one simple concept: producing
a consistent, high-quality crop at a predictable and steady rate, 365 days
per year. Accurately measuring and controlling lighting conditions allows
growers to achieve a stable growing environment under variable weather
on a daily basis across the four seasons of the year. But lighting is not a
simple factor to be controlled.
There are several direct and indirect aspects related to lighting
management, which can affect crop production and systems energy use
Big Grower January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Grower January 2020
