Meet The Company Designing More Sustainable Greenhouse Solutions

 
Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

 

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. To continue learning about the role energy plays in the CEA industry and how we can improve this, join Ceres’ Hervé Maumus-Hue and Agritecture’s Alberto López for the ‘Energy Perspectives in Controlled Environment Agriculture’ webinar.

Marc Plinke was bothered when he realized that he didn’t know where most of his food came from. As an engineer and innovator, he also felt motivated to find his own solution. That’s what led Plinke on a path of discovery and invention, ultimately resulting in the founding of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions in 2011.

From the onset, Ceres, named after the Roman goddess of agriculture, has been committed to year-round, energy-efficient, greenhouse growing. How do we get fresh, healthy, food into the hands of those who want and need it? This is the question we ask ourselves at Ceres.

We’re not really focusing on greenhouses. We are focusing on food. And how to do that in the most energy-efficient way possible.
— Marc Plinke, Founder and COO of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Fast forward 10 years and Ceres is still committed to the goal of growing abundantly year-round, while continuing to adopt loftier goals. In the last 10 years, we have expanded our markets into commercial greenhouses, climate control system automation, and designed our very own kit house with an attached greenhouse. 

What sets Ceres apart?

Besides having a fully insulated, year-round, light-harvesting grow facility, Ceres is not just a “greenhouse company.”  As a company devoted to food, including both the ability to grow it and make it as accessible as possible, we are committed to the idea that our client’s success is our success.

Many greenhouse companies sell structures, often using cheap materials, which have poor longevity and a faster rate of depreciation. Many aren’t durable or insulated enough to support year-round growth, especially in harsh climates.

We sell an advanced system. Energy efficiency begins with the design. Our facilities are built to last, using the highest quality materials. They are designed to maximize sun intake, with high light transmissive glazings, while allowing for an environment that is tightly controlled. A Ceres greenhouse has the advantages of an outdoor grow (full UV sunlight), with the advantages of an indoor grow (climate control). Additionally, we work with our clients from design all the way through the growing process and beyond in order to ensure that everything works as effectively as it was designed to.

Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Grow environment optimization is the top priority. We offer continuous analysis of your environment with our integrated Ceres SunSense™ controller so that you can focus on growing your business and leave the rest to the technology.

So where does energy consumption fit in?

Being a company devoted to solving problems and ensuring the success of our clients also means that we are building for maximum energy efficiency. Energy consumption is a huge problem in this industry, and if we want to make sure that controlled environment agriculture has a future, it has to make financial sense. 

Partnership with Agritecture

Through our partnership announced in March, Agritecture and Ceres are working together to offer comprehensive planning services specific to Ceres’ unique energy-efficient greenhouse designs. By working together, we can offer our clients a faster turnaround from initial concept to greenhouse installation.
— Ricky Stephens, Director of Digital Strategy
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Image sourced from Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

On June 23rd, at 11am Ceres’ Hervé Maumus-Hue will join our partners at Agritecture to speak on the topic of energy consumption in this industry. The webinar titled Energy Perspectives for Controlled Environment Agriculture will feature a host of experts exploring energy use in CEA and the future of the industry. How can you as a business become more efficient? What are the technologies that help make this possible? What is the data that needs to be analyzed for better optimization?

Join us in exploring these topics, and learn new tips to help your business thrive in this new and developing market. 

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