About GrowSave

The GrowSave project began in 2007 with an emphasis on wanting to demonstrate the techniques in actual situations rather than simply preaching the theory. Delivered for HDC by Farm Energy, our aim is to show growers how important it is to save energy.

GrowSave offers numerous visits to our nursery partners to highlight areas where energy savings can be made; four training workshops to focus on specific energy related topics and an annual energy update conference.

All the information delivered is made available on this website, so if you are unable to attend an event, you will still be able to follow our progress.

The HDC is a levy funded organisation that serves the commercial horticultural industry in England, Scotland and Wales. The money it collects is used to fund high quality, essential applied research, development and technology transfer. All projects are approved by expert panels that represent each sector of the industry, encompassing over 300 different crops.

Because of the importance of energy saving and carbon emissions reduction to sustainable horticultural production, the HDC funds a large number of energy projects. The results of these projects are delivered to growers through GrowSave.

To find out more about the HDC go to www.hdc.org.uk.

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Our team

The GrowSave project is delivered for HDC by Farm Energy; the UK’s leading horticultural energy consultancy. For further information, go to www.farmenergy.com.

Key members of the Farm Energy team who regularly contribute to GrowSave are:

Chris Plackett - has over 25 years experience of consultancy and advisory work in energy saving for horticultural businesses. He also specialises in government energy policies, energy taxation and carbon reduction schemes.

Tim Pratt - has expert knowledge of energy use in greenhouse horticulture—particularly climate control systems.

Jon Swain - has all-round knowledge of energy saving technologies and the practicalities of how to use them in commercial horticulture.

Gill Bailey - GrowSave project co-ordinator, who has the unenviable task of keeping the GrowSave team under control and overseeing the delivery of our events, publications and the website.

Sally Coutts - our friendly voice on the phone and the organiser of all of the practical stuff, including event venues, regular email updates and copies of our technical information.

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Our Partners

2010/11 Season

Glen Avon Growers

Glen Avon Growers lay claim to one of the longest growing histories in the UK. The Schellingerhout family started growing field crops on their current site in 1936. The move to glasshouse production happened in the 1950’s when they started growing tomatoes and cucumbers. Following a brief spell growing chrysanthemum in the 1970’s they returned to edible crops and have been 100% cucumbers since 1983 and were the second nursery in the UK to grow cucumbers using Rockwool.

Along with a number of other growers in the area Glen Avon Growers took up the opportunity to use CHP in 1999-2000 through Nedalo UK. However, the failure of Nedalo’s parent company in late 2003 meant that Glen Avon Growers were able to take over the ownership and operation of the CHP installation. The installation comprises two natural gas fuelled Cummins engines, each capable of generating 1.5MW of electricity and a similar amount of heat. The majority of the electricity is sold onto the National Grid whilst the heat and flue gases (CO2) are used in the greenhouses.

Coronation Nursery

Coronation Nursery is located in the greenhouse ‘hot spot’ of the Lea Valley in Essex. It is owned and run by the Pullara family who have been on the site since 1977. The nursery comprises 2.5Ha of greenhouse growing sweet peppers and cucumbers. With a considerable amount of persistence they managed to get grant funding through DEFRA’s Rural Development Plan for England (RDPE) to support the installation of five 100kW natural gas fuelled micro-turbine CHP units. These have now been running for 4 years and Franco Pullara has gained considerable experience in running them and buying / selling energy.