At Pure Flavor®, we understand the importance of conserving energy and are constantly taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint. We always seek ways to minimize our energy usage and promote sustainable practices.
It’s more important than ever before to take steps towards reducing our carbon footprint and conserving energy. One area where this is particularly important for us is greenhouse growing. By implementing energy conservation techniques, we’re able to improve our carbon footprint while improving the overall health and productivity of our plants. Here are some of the ways through which Pure Flavor® works to conserve energy in a positive way:
Rainwater Collection System –
Our greenhouses have a rainwater collection system that helps conserve energy. We collect rainwater in a 1.5-acre area and give each plant the exact amount of water it needs – no more, no less. With precise closed-loop drip irrigation, any water the roots don’t soak up (known as “leach”) is recycled through our filtration system to minimize waste.
To ensure the collected rainwater is safe for our plants and the environment, we incorporate treatment techniques that include ultra-filtration, pasteurization, and ultraviolet light to sterilize and clean it. Our efforts ensure a safe and healthy water supply for our plants and the environment, promoting sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
LED Lighting –
Aside from water, lighting is one of the most important aspects of growing healthy plants. Lighting can also be one of the largest drains on energy consumption in terms of raw power traditional lights produce. Pure Flavor® is working to update our existing lighting and future greenhouse lighting with LED lights. LED lights convert 95% of their energy into light, with only 5% being wasted. This means LED requires less power than regular HPS (High-Pressure Sodium) lighting. HPS bulbs generally have 10,000 to 18,000 hours of lifespan in them, with growers often replacing them far sooner. Compare that to the LED light lifespan of 50,000+ hours, and it becomes obvious there’s no competition in terms of their longevity, durability, and sustainability.
LED lighting is not only more efficient and more sustainable than traditional HPS gold bulbs, but they also run cooler than HPS. Having an optimized temperature in the greenhouse is crucial for healthy, vigorous growth. LED grow lights, on the other hand, are much cooler than HPS grow lights. Producing only tiny amounts of heat, LED grow lights can be placed closer to the plants and, because they provide different types of light spectrum, they can be positioned intelligently around a grow space to optimize plant health and yield.
Energy Curtains –
Our greenhouses use retractable Energy Curtains to reduce energy consumption in greenhouse growing. These dual-purpose curtains do an excellent job of blocking excess light that causes overheating and plant stress, promoting healthier plants. Moreover, during colder months, they help to keep heat in, reducing heating costs and creating a more sustainable and cost-effective growing environment.
These energy curtains are an important part of creating a greener future, minimizing our environmental impact. They play a crucial role in maintaining a stable and consistent environment for our plants, ensuring they receive the best possible growing conditions. It’s clear that implementing these energy curtains is a crucial step towards creating a more sustainable and responsible future for agriculture.
CO2 Management –
Our greenhouse has a highly effective and environmentally conscious hot water heating system in place. Through photosynthesis, plants use LED lighting, rainwater, and CO2 to exhale oxygen. We run our high-efficiency boilers during the day when plants are most active in absorbing CO2. The heating system involves storing hot water in two 5-million-liter tanks so we can heat the greenhouse all night without the boilers when the CO2 is of no use to the plants and would otherwise be expelled into the environment.
We have implemented dual-purpose heating pipes in the form of grow pipes and rails to minimize our energy use for heating. The lower rails are dual purpose, in that they provide the majority of the greenhouse heating, as well as an efficient rail for carts to transport both our employees and harvested product, while a 3rd pipe (grow pipe) provides targeted heat close to the plant & fruit. The water in the grow pipe is heated and recycled back to the greenhouse, this helps us reduce our overall energy consumption. Overall, our greenhouse is committed to sustainable practices that benefit both our plants and the environment.
We are dedicated to promoting sustainable and eco-friendly practices in our greenhouse operation and by implementing these practices, we aim to contribute a greener future for the environment. We remain committed to finding new ways to minimize our energy usage and promote sustainable practices in all aspects of our greenhouse operations.
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