Sustainable heating and cooling systems for agriculture

Space heating/cooling systems account for approximately 40% of the global energy consumption. Such systems contribute to global warming by emitting 4×1010 MWh of heat and 3×1010 tons of CO2. There is a general understanding that the way to reduce global warming is a more efficient use of energy and increased use of renewable energy in all fields of the society. Ground-coupled heating/cooling systems, which have proven to make huge contributions in reducing energy consumption in Europe and North America, is here applied for poultry industry in Syria, as an example for the Middle East. There are e.g. 13 000 chicken farms in Syria producing 172 000 tons of meat per year. This industry employs directly almost 150 000 people. The total investments in chicken farming are 130 BSP (2 B€). The annual mean air temperature in Syria is 15–18°C with winter temperatures close to freezing during two months. The chickens need a temperature of 21–35°C, depending on age, and the heating of all Syrian chicken plants consume 173×103 tons of coal (1196 GWh). In the summer time, the ambient air temperature in Syria could reach above 45°C. The chicken farms have no cooling systems since conventional cooling system is too expensive. The elevated temperature inside the farms reduces the chicken growth and lots of chicken die of overheating. The ground temperature at 10 m depth is roughly equal to the annual mean air temperature. Using the ground as a heat source means a sustainable and less expensive heating of the chicken farms. During the summer, the ground is used as a source for free cooling, i.e. used directly for cooling of the plants without any cooling machines. Current study shows the design and simulated operation of a ground-coupled heating/cooling system for a typical chicken farm in Syria. Performed national potential study showed that the implementation of such ground coupled heating and cooling systems in the Syrian poultry sector would mean increased poultry production and considerable savings in money, energy, and the environment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.