Gaining your edge
Energy Edge is an initiative of Greenhouse Canada magazine aimed at turning what is a liability for most growers – fluctuating energy costs – into a competitive advantage. With energy accounting for as much as 40 per cent of the operating costs of many greenhouse operations, small and steady improvements on this front can move the needle in a big way on the bottom line. Energy Edge will look at new technologies, innovative projects, case studies of growers finding their own Energy Edge.
You can read about it in each issue of Greenhouse Canada, but we’ve also created this dedicated microsite. Here you can find regular news items on the subject, new technology and products, video, and in-depth archives on the subject.
We’ll also produce a bi-weekly enewsletter to keep you up to speed on what we’re covering. It is free to all Greenhouse Canada digital subscribers. You can sign up for it here.
If you want to add to the conversation, please drop us a line and let us know about your project, technology, services, or concerns at energyedge@annexweb.com.
You can read about it in each issue of Greenhouse Canada, but we’ve also created this dedicated microsite. Here you can find regular news items on the subject, new technology and products, video, and in-depth archives on the subject.
We’ll also produce a bi-weekly enewsletter to keep you up to speed on what we’re covering. It is free to all Greenhouse Canada digital subscribers. You can sign up for it here.
If you want to add to the conversation, please drop us a line and let us know about your project, technology, services, or concerns at energyedge@annexweb.com.
Will natural gas prices rise or fall?
Wednesday, 02 May 2012-
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For the first time in several weeks, we are seeing natural gas prices begin to climb. We continue to see spot pricing remain under $2 CDN/GJ, but rising nonetheless. While some analysts are saying a bottom has been reached...
technical traders are still suggesting that this current rise in prices is simply temporary and unless the next level of support at $2.40 US/MMBtu can be breached, we will be right back down to $2 US/MMBtu in no time.
There continues to be a never-before-seen surplus in storage levels to both the five-year average and last year’s groundbreaking numbers. This year, we started the injection season over 50% higher than we did last year and we anticipate storage to be completely full by the end of August.
It will take an extremely hot summer and significant cuts to shale production in order for storage numbers to ease and prices to rebound and remain strong. Even still, we may reach storage capacity, at which point natural gas will be flooding the market and suppressing prices further.
Could a $1 US/MMBtu handle be possible yet again this year? We will have to wait and see.
Lisa Brodeur is Quality Assurance Supervisor with 360 Energy in Burlington, Ont.
