Assessing the effectiveness of low-enthalpy geothermal energy for greenhouse temperature regulation towards enhancing desert agriculture

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the viability and potential of the Earth-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE) low-enthalpy geothermal system for greenhouse climate control in arid regions, specifically addressing the prevalent challenge of limited meteorological data. Our approach integrates ERA5-Land data with a subsurface soil temperature model, enabling accurate EAHE design and performance prediction in data-scarce environments like Bahariya Oasis, Egypt. The research confirmed the significant thermal stability of the subsurface soil, establishing its potential as a consistent heat source/sink. Initial simulations highlighted effective winter heating but revealed a need for enhanced summer cooling. We demonstrated that optimizing the EAHE system by increasing airflow successfully maintained greenhouse temperatures within near-optimal ranges (below 35 $$\,{}^{\circ }$$ C in summer, above 20 $$\,{}^{\circ }$$ C in winter) throughout the year. This achievement validates EAHE’s effectiveness for dual heating and cooling in extreme climates. This work provides a robust, data-driven methodology for designing and implementing sustainable, climate-controlled greenhouses in challenging arid zones.