Title: Solar energy utilisation efficiency in environment-controlled agriculture in China

Authors: Li Pingping, Hu Yongguang, Liu Jizhan

Addresses: Institute of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China. ' Institute of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China. ' Institute of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China

Abstract: In the light of an analysis of the solar radiation and temperature resources in different part of China, this paper classifies Environment-Controlled Agriculture (ECA) in China into zones and briefly introduces the feature of each zone. Meanwhile, features of different ECA types such as heliogreenhouse, plastic arched shed, adumbral net and their contributions to increasing solar energy utilisation efficiency are analysed. On the basis of the above analysis, possible technical ways to increase potential production of ECA are put forward.

Keywords: environment-controlled agriculture; heliogreenhouse; plastic arched shed; solar energy utilisation efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2004.004705

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2004 Vol.21 No.1/2, pp.131 - 143

Published online: 07 Jul 2004 *

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