Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement
In this study, a comparative economic analysis was conducted for typical greenhouses, plant factories with natural and artificial light, and those with only artificial light, based on the insulation, artificial light, and photovoltaic (PV) installation costs. In addition, the results of research on...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-05-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/684 |
| _version_ | 1797502299067645952 |
|---|---|
| author | Yeweon Kim Hye-Ry Shin Su-hyun Oh Ki-Hyung Yu |
| author_facet | Yeweon Kim Hye-Ry Shin Su-hyun Oh Ki-Hyung Yu |
| author_sort | Yeweon Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, a comparative economic analysis was conducted for typical greenhouses, plant factories with natural and artificial light, and those with only artificial light, based on the insulation, artificial light, and photovoltaic (PV) installation costs. In addition, the results of research on primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of fossil fuels were presented. By comparing the case-wise annual energy consumption, when all energy sources were converted into primary energy consumption based on the applied coefficients for collection, transport, and processing, to unify calculations for different fossil fuel energy sources, the case of the installed PV systems exhibited large reductions, of 424% and 340%, in terms of primary energy consumption and GHG emissions, respectively. Furthermore, electric heating resulted in higher primary energy consumption and GHG emissions than oil. When the economic analysis included the plant factory installation cost used to maintain the temperature required for plant growth in winter, the PV installation exhibited the highest cost; additionally, all plant factories showed an investment payback period of seven to nine years, which is comparable to typical greenhouses. Based on these results, we aim to reduce the use of fossil fuels for sustainable energy by combining architectural technology for improved energy performance in the agricultural environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:31:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-330989a349e24735addd819052808e7b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:31:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-330989a349e24735addd819052808e7b2023-11-23T09:40:08ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-05-0112568410.3390/agriculture12050684Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance ImprovementYeweon Kim0Hye-Ry Shin1Su-hyun Oh2Ki-Hyung Yu3Building Energy Research Department, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Ilsan 10223, KoreaBuilding Energy Research Department, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Ilsan 10223, KoreaBuilding Energy Research Department, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Ilsan 10223, KoreaBuilding Energy Research Department, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Ilsan 10223, KoreaIn this study, a comparative economic analysis was conducted for typical greenhouses, plant factories with natural and artificial light, and those with only artificial light, based on the insulation, artificial light, and photovoltaic (PV) installation costs. In addition, the results of research on primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of fossil fuels were presented. By comparing the case-wise annual energy consumption, when all energy sources were converted into primary energy consumption based on the applied coefficients for collection, transport, and processing, to unify calculations for different fossil fuel energy sources, the case of the installed PV systems exhibited large reductions, of 424% and 340%, in terms of primary energy consumption and GHG emissions, respectively. Furthermore, electric heating resulted in higher primary energy consumption and GHG emissions than oil. When the economic analysis included the plant factory installation cost used to maintain the temperature required for plant growth in winter, the PV installation exhibited the highest cost; additionally, all plant factories showed an investment payback period of seven to nine years, which is comparable to typical greenhouses. Based on these results, we aim to reduce the use of fossil fuels for sustainable energy by combining architectural technology for improved energy performance in the agricultural environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/684plant factorynatural lightartificial lighteconomic analysisbuilding energy-saving technology |
| spellingShingle | Yeweon Kim Hye-Ry Shin Su-hyun Oh Ki-Hyung Yu Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement Agriculture plant factory natural light artificial light economic analysis building energy-saving technology |
| title | Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement |
| title_full | Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement |
| title_fullStr | Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement |
| title_short | Analysis on the Economic Feasibility of a Plant Factory Combined with Architectural Technology for Energy Performance Improvement |
| title_sort | analysis on the economic feasibility of a plant factory combined with architectural technology for energy performance improvement |
| topic | plant factory natural light artificial light economic analysis building energy-saving technology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/684 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yeweonkim analysisontheeconomicfeasibilityofaplantfactorycombinedwitharchitecturaltechnologyforenergyperformanceimprovement AT hyeryshin analysisontheeconomicfeasibilityofaplantfactorycombinedwitharchitecturaltechnologyforenergyperformanceimprovement AT suhyunoh analysisontheeconomicfeasibilityofaplantfactorycombinedwitharchitecturaltechnologyforenergyperformanceimprovement AT kihyungyu analysisontheeconomicfeasibilityofaplantfactorycombinedwitharchitecturaltechnologyforenergyperformanceimprovement |