How’s your energy efficiency? Comparing your greenhouse with Michigan benchmarks

Heidi Lindberg<wollaege@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Growers can register now for an event to learn how to use a tool to evaluate their energy efficiency against Michigan benchmarks.

Retractable energy curtains in a greenhouse.
Photo 1. Retractable energy curtains are an excellent energy conservation measure to implement in greenhouses to reduce heating costs. Photo by Heidi Lindberg, MSU Extension.

Energy use is the second largest operational expense for greenhouses after labor. There are numerous energy conservation strategies that greenhouses can implement in order to reduce their usage, which include retractable energy curtains (Photo 1), high-efficiency heaters, energy-efficient lighting, and optimally managing the growing environment.

At the beginning of every season, greenhouse growers should consider practices that reduce their energy bills or smaller projects, such as managing the growing temperature, installing more horizontal air flow fans, sealing leaks and maintaining heating systems. In the off-season, growers often consider the larger energy-efficient projects that require a significant capital investment or construction, such as installing energy curtains, root zone heating (Photo 2) and large lighting installations. Some practices and equipment, such as energy curtains, are only practical and have an adequate return on investment for medium to large growers growing during the coldest, darkest months of the year.

Root-zone heating next to plants growing in a greenhouse.
Photo 2. Root-zone heating is an energy conservation strategy to maintain an adequate temperature for plant propagules while reducing the air temperature, thereby reducing energy loss. Photo by Heidi Lindberg, MSU Extension.

Therefore, greenhouse businesses should evaluate how their energy efficiencies and practices stack up against other growers of comparable size in Michigan. In order to do this, Michigan State University Extension developed a new Greenhouse Energy Index Decision Support Tool to assist businesses in evaluating their energy practices and projects. On Jan. 22, 2025, at 10 a.m., Aluel Go, program manager at Michigan Farm Energy, will talk about this new Greenhouse Energy Index Decision Support Tool during a virtual event. During this session, you will be able to confidentially compare your numbers with benchmarks developed by those that have completed an energy audit in Michigan in the past. 

The new tool helps growers to determine their own business' energy efficiency levels and how implementing common energy conservation measures would affect your usage. It will assist greenhouse businesses in prioritizing energy efficiency projects and determining how their energy efficiency measures up to similar sized operations in Michigan. 

While open to out-of-state growers, participants in similar climates to Michigan will benefit most from the session since the standards were developed from Michigan-based farm energy audits. While we may take volunteers to provide their metrics as an example, participants will not be required to share any of your business' numbers with other participants.

To get the most out of the session, growers have these metrics from their own businesses accessible: 

  • Square footage of their heated and cooled areas.
  • Annual energy usage; electricity (kWh), natural gas (MMBTU or Therms)
  • Average or latest energy cost per kWh, MMBTU or Therms

Register for the How Do you Stack Up Against Benchmarks? Using the New Energy Efficiency Index Tool

Growers may also be interested in the following related articles:

Note: The new Greenhouse Energy Index Decision Support Tool was recently developed courtesy of a 2024 grant from Western Michigan Greenhouse Association.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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