Effect of increasing temperatures on cooling systems. A case of study: European greenhouse sector

The work attempts to assess the effects of global warming on the efficacy of current greenhouse cooling methods following a methodology previously proved for other agricultural buildings. The cooling potential of four greenhouse cooling techniques (natural ventilation, forced ventilation, fogging and shading) were simulated by computer modelling for five European locations, calculating the greenhouse internal air temperature from measured external climate data. Four 2080s scenarios were analysed in these five locations. They were constructed as a combination of General Circulation Models (Had CM3 and ECHAM4) downscaled for Europe with the HIRHAM and RCA3 regional models and driven by the A2 and B2 socio-economic scenarios. The crop considered as reference was tomato. The results showed that, in locations in southern Europe, adding evaporative cooling methods to ventilation and/or shading will be indispensable. In some areas of northern Europe, natural ventilation will no longer be sufficient, and shading or fogging will also be necessary. The economic consequences will be important, over all in the southern locations where water consumption, investment and working costs will be higher and necessary to ensure the crop production.