Currently, there are several types of greenhouses, which rely on solar energy.
La passive greenhouse, one of the most modern, uses exclusively the heat generated by the sun and objects that accumulate heat. No artificial sources are allowed inside the structure, which becomes a "little sun".
In Alberta, Canada, a passive solar greenhouse was built, inspired by the structures already present in China.
Inside the brand new Fresh Pal Farms, vegetables can grow all year round. The cold of winter is no longer a problem, and the greenhouse reaches its maximum production level.
A sustainable passive greenhouse
The builder of this incredible passive greenhouse is Dong Jianyi, who spent several years in Northern China.
“Where I lived in China, there were so many passive solar greenhouses. But in Canada I haven't seen any on a commercial scale,” Jianyi revealed in an interview with CBC.
The idea was born precisely from this observation, from the desire to demonstrate that passive solar greenhouses can produce practically anywhere, you just need to know their basic functioning.
If Dong's facility made it through Canada's freezing cold, there's no reason why it shouldn't work in other countries, too.
Its sustainable greenhouse – the greenhouse does not use fossil fuels to generate heat – it measures 9 meters wide and 90 meters long, with an area of over 800 square meters (8.073 square feet).
The heat is retained by an insulating blanket, which is in turn controlled by an electric motor. The environment has an average temperature of 28°C, stable throughout the day.
Innovation and Change
After moving to Canada, Dong Jianyi tried to explore the potential of the passive greenhouse seen in China.
He thus bought a greenhouse kit worth 185.000 €, shipped directly from China, and built it together with his wife.
Heating a traditional (gas) greenhouse of this size and keeping it up and running costs over € 20.000 per month.
In 2020, the Dong greenhouse managed to produce nearly 13.000 kilograms of tomatoes.
The goal is to maintain the same levels for the following years, and try to significantly expand your business.
In a post on Facebook, Dong revealed that two more greenhouses are in production this year, with the hope of growing day by day.
