Company
Menu
Company
Reducing carbon emissions is a major consideration for the agricultural sector and the National Farmers Union (NFU) is working towards net zero greenhouse gasses by 2040. In a ground breaking lower carbon farming initiative Aermec heat pumps are now being used for two huge greenhouses in the East Anglia region to increase tomato production by 12%.
Challenge
The seven metre high greenhouses rely on a hydroponic vertical growing system for maximum yield of a variety of plants and vegetables. The business plans to replace conventional gas and move towards a more sustainable system as part of its transition towards net zero.
Solution
A combined heat and power (CHP) system along with heat pumps and re-using waste heat was the approach identified to reduce emissions and minimise environmental impact.
Twenty nine Aermec heat pumps were specified to provide 64MW of heating, making this one of the largest heat pump projects in the UK. The heat pumps will use a closed loop system as well as combined heat and power (CHP) to capture the waste heat from nearby water recycling centres at each site. The heat pumps will be powered with electricity from the CHP and supplementary CO2 will be transferred into the greenhouses to provide the necessary growing conditions and accelerate the crop growth
Result
The tomatoes are now growing in two of the largest greenhouses in the UK. The hydroponics vertical growing system deployed uses 10 times less water and is estimated to reduce the facilities’ combined carbon emissions by up to 75 per cent.
The UK is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, this project is a major step forward towards the decarbonisation of farming. The system will also ensure that treated water will be sufficiently cooled before being released back into the river system so that ecosystems will not be compromised.
It is anticipated that over the 20-year life span of the project 1.2 million tonnes of carbon will be saved with further savings achievable as the national grid also decarbonises.
29 Aermec chillers64MW of heatingOne of the largest heat pumps projects in the UKProduction increased by 12%1.2 million tonnes of carbon to be saved over 20 years
Being a significant player in the European air conditioning market for over 60 years, we are dedicated to the development and testing of our products and the value they bring to our customers. Not just at install, but the lifetime value of an Aermec installation. We believe in the importance of continual research and development, with particular emphasis on rigorous testing of every chiller and heat pump after its assembly, before it is dispatched.
Registered in England Company No. 3112873
