The greenhouse horticulture sector is under pressure worldwide. Climate change, geopolitical tensions and the growing need for sustainable food production mean that the role of greenhouses in the food chain is changing significantly. At the same time, this dynamic opens new doors for suppliers who bring innovative materials, systems and expertise.
During a recent conversation with Egon Janssen, Business Developer and Manager of the High Tech Greenhouses cluster at TNO, it became clear where the main challenges and opportunities lie.
“Because of climate change, outdoor cultivation is becoming increasingly difficult,” says Egon Janssen. “My expectation is that far more crops will be grown in protected environments. So the share of greenhouses worldwide will increase.”
Global Growth and System Change
It is not only climate but also global political and economic developments, such as food security, that play a role. Countries in the Middle East, North America and Asia are investing in domestic production capacity, and therefore in greenhouses. At the same time, the focus is shifting from simple low-tech tunnels to more mid- and high-tech greenhouses, where climate, light and CO₂ are controlled.
New Energy Requirements and Insurability
The greenhouse is becoming part of the energy system, with links to residual heat, CO₂ capture and even hydrogen networks. This calls for new structural requirements, especially now that extreme weather, such as hailstones the size of tennis balls, is making insurers more cautious.
“We are running a project called Design for Climate Change. It does not only address hail, but also heat, drought and heavy snowfall,” Janssen explains.
Still, the sector hesitates. “Greenhouse builders sometimes prefer not to know,” says Janssen. “If they have to take tougher conditions into account, their greenhouses become more expensive and customers may choose the competition.” Precisely for this reason, greenhouse builders are working with TNO and have set up the Hortivation foundation. Hortivation coordinates collective knowledge development as well as normalisation and standardisation projects.
Robotics: A Gamechanger for Design
One of the most far-reaching changes may come from robotics.
“If you really start working with robots, it makes sense to rethink the entire design of the greenhouse, including the cultivation system and the structural design,” Janssen notes.
This creates opportunities for suppliers of modular tube constructions. The demand for fewer columns, longer trusses and other internal logistics solutions will increase.
Material Choice, Origin and Circularity
Although in the Netherlands the footprint of materials such as steel accounts for only 1 to 2% of the total (90% comes from energy use), this picture changes in countries with more sustainable energy grids.
“In Norway, for example, that 2% suddenly becomes 20%. Then material choice suddenly becomes crucial,” Janssen points out.
Origin is also gaining attention. European materials often have a lower footprint than, for example, Chinese steel. Janssen adds: “We advocate for an energy label for greenhouses that makes both material choice and energy use transparent.”
Tube Structures and Growing Gutters as Carriers of Innovation
During the conversation, specific product applications were discussed:
Heating tubes with a special coating and light-reflective properties contribute to efficient energy and light distribution. This is achieved by the Forcas® tube, used close to the crop and adjustable in height. These tubes with couplings eliminate the need for welding and create opportunities for reuse, maintenance and modular construction. Tubes are also used for greenhouse heating systems, running from the boiler room to the greenhouse and as part of in-greenhouse tube-rail systems.
Advantica Horti Control® growing gutters from Tata Steel, developed together with partners, can now be produced directly on site inside the greenhouse. The role of steel literally enters the greenhouse. Tata Steel uses machines that can form dozens of metres of gutter directly on location.
These systems can be integrated into digital design software such as KIS (Greenhouse Information System), which makes both footprint and structural performance visible in advance.
Foto: Egon Janssen
Collaboration and Accelerating Innovation
An important call from TNO: “The sector is still fragmented. Greenhouse builders, robotics companies and software developers should form alliances. Only then can we achieve system renewal.”
For Tata Steel, there is a clear opportunity here: to contribute with both materials and knowledge. This could include light-reflection research, participation in innovation programmes or pilot projects with turnkey greenhouse builders.
Sustainable Steel for the Demands of Modern Greenhouse Construction
The rise of high-tech greenhouse horticulture brings major system change and at the same time requires integrated solutions that unite design, construction and sustainability. Looking ahead, it is essential to develop more robust and flexible materials, smarter component integration and stronger collaboration across the value chain.
Whether through optimised tube structures, locally producible growing gutters or the use of sustainable steel solutions with proven CO₂ reductions, the time is right to make innovation tangible.
Tata Steel contributes with expertise, materials strength and partnerships aimed at building a greenhouse sector ready for the demands of tomorrow.