measured directly on the components of the climate unit, lighting and the steam boiler. The measurements were performed using a specifi- cally developed data logger. Unfortunately, when the measurement data was analysed, various factors (technical problems and various practical conditions) meant that the data was not always complete or reliable. By omitting, combining and, where necessary, repairing data, it was still possible to compile a picture of 31 cropping cycles in total, which were suitable for analysis. The results are contained in this article.


Results Table 1 summarises the results gained from the five monitored farms in random order. Around six cropping cycles were registered roughly per farm, the data from which was used to calculate an average cropping cycle per farm. In addition to the average duration of the cycle in days, the average energy consumption of the climate unit was also calculated. The cycle duration varied from 27.1 days (mechanical harvest) to 43.6 days (manual harvest chestnut mushrooms), with an average cycle length of 34.6 days. For mutual comparison with the figures from the other farms, a regressive calculation was performed on the energy consumption to arrive at figure per cropping cycle, per 100 m2


of growing surface


area. Finally, the average of all five farms (i.e. all 31 cycles) was also calculated. Other energy consumption in e.g. the corridor, canteen, cold store, central duct etc. was not included in these measurements.


Conversion to kWh-e and m3 gas


As the units in table 1 show, a number of measurements are indicated in electrical energy (kWh-e), thermal energy (kWh-th) or litres of water. So as to express these figures in recog-


To establish the savings that can be made on total energy consumption, it is important to know not only how much energy is saved by


the equipment concerned, but also how energy consumption breaks down into components.


nisable units such as kWh electricity and m3 gas, another conversion must be made. For a correct comparison, the average efficiency of the equipment most commonly used in the sector was assumed. As converting the data obtained from all five farms was performed in an identical way, these assumptions do not influence the mutual differences in the figures for energy consumption.


In table 2 the data has been converted to kWh and m3, and to the percentage that is required for each component of the climate unit (see also pie charts 1 and 2). This clearly illustrates that each farm is unique and that huge differences in energy consumption occur. These differences depend on various factors including the cultiva- tion method, variety of mushrooms, harvesting method, length of cropping cycle, technical provisions, size of the farm etc. On the monito- red manual picking farms (with the exception of farm 4) the difference for both electricity and gas is roughly a factor of 1.5. On farm 4 with a central duct, the energy measurements for cooling and heating on the climate unit are relatively low. This is explained by the fact that





Energy fl ows in kWh and m3 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 1 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 2 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 3 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 4* per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 5 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average all farms per cropping cycle/100 m2


Energy fl ows in % of kWh and m3 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 1 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 2 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 3 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 4* per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average farm 5 per cropping cycle/100 m2 Average all farms per cropping cycle/100 m2


Table 2 MUSHROOM BUSINESS 15


122 100 95


101 161 116


12


520


36 492 73


90 206 48 706 52 477


458


138 98 115 60 117


106


3


132 143 140 235 130


1


655


- 628 - 626


915


141


230 257


- 397 200 -


353 0 644 236


19% 2% 79% 98% 2% 1% 100% 100% 16% 6% 78% 43% 57% 0% 100% 100% 15% 12% 73% 44% 56% 0% 100% 100% 25% 23% 52% 30% 70% 0% 100% 100% 18% 5% 77% 33% 67% 0% 100% 100% 18% 8% 74% 45% 55% 0% 100% 100%


Fan kWh


Lighting kWh


Cooling kWh


Heating m3


Cook out m3


Steam humidifi cation m3


Total kWh


Total m3


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