The world is home to many different climates and all sorts of weather.
Entire civilizations are characterized by the climates they have been dealing with for centuries. It is the reason why agriculture is such a diverse field of practice and why its form varies from region to region.
Greenhouse technology gives us the tools to cultivate desired crops regardless of the outside factors. To provide the plants inside with the conditions that they need to thrive in, we create an internal climate. This enables us to grow what we want, where we want.
In most cases, however, the greenhouse has to be a profitable endeavor. Applying technology to the greenhouse comes at a cost of investment and often also at a cost of operation. Every investment made must therefore be returned by the sales of the produce. The consideration of market prices is therefore of equal importance as the climatic location in which the greenhouse is to be built in.
Managing the Climates
By introducing smart technology, greenhouse climates can be managed regardless of the local climate conditions. Applying heating systems allows us to grow tropical crops in cold regions. Introducing cooling systems, de-humidification systems or by applying addition humidity to the greenhouse may result in better growing climate. Adding carbon dioxide can improve the photosynthesis of the plants even further, increasing in quality and quantity of production.
Level of investment
No matter in which region the greenhouse is located, the climatic circumstances can be overcome. However, technology to overcome these climate challenges come at an investment. The level of technology introduced in the greenhouse is determined by much more factors than only the climate. The initial investment in the greenhouse is to be considered strongly but the operational costs also have to be taken into account. Reducing labor through automation and investing to save on energy consumption can therefore create a competitive advantage to the greenhouse operation.