The road map for a sustainable and economic viable greenhouse horticulture depends on the local conditions and climate.
Netherlands and Northern Europe
As ‘green’ electricity is coming more and more available in the near future, electrification is an ongoing trend. Most promising solution is geothermal heat, combined with a heat pump, depending on the source temperature. Geothermal energy must become part of the solution by covering the majority of the base heat demand. LED’s will be used for illumination and CHP remains necessary for net balancing and peak shaving, but not for base load. They will be used as long as they are economical feasible but the consequences of increasing taxes on energy will be enormeous for mostly small growers. Gas boilers will disappear while CHPs are tolerated, but still the need to reduce natural gas consumption will be enormous.
In far future hydrogen might be an options and developments in this field have already started. Because of the conversion loss, hydrogen will be only useful when there is an electricity surplus. Large-scale application will take at least 10 years and because of the 'merit order' mobility will be a logical first consumer.
Net congestion will be an increasing problem, but existing growers who use illumination have already large connection capacities.