The Honest Answer Isn't "Yes." It's "It Depends"—And That's Exactly Where the Conversation Should Start.
One of the most common questions we hear isn't about phase change materials themselves.
It's much simpler.
"Will this actually lower my heating bill?"
We understand why that's the first question. Heating remains one of the largest operating expenses for many greenhouse operators, particularly during colder months and shoulder seasons when daytime sunshine and overnight temperatures can be dramatically different. If a new technology claims to improve thermal performance, the natural assumption is that it should also reduce energy costs.
Sometimes it does.
Sometimes it doesn't.
That probably isn't the answer most people hope to hear, but we've found it's the most honest place to begin the conversation.
One of the things we've learned over the years is that thermal storage should never be viewed as a magic solution. Greenhouses are complex environments, and no single product can overcome poor insulation, excessive air leakage, undersized heating systems, or operational practices that waste energy. Phase change materials are no different.
The better question isn't whether PCM reduces heating costs.
The better question is:
Under what conditions can thermal storage reduce the amount of energy a greenhouse needs?
WHY TWO IDENTICAL GREENHOUSES CAN HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RESULTS
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding greenhouse energy is that square footage determines everything.
It doesn't.
Two greenhouses that are identical in size can have dramatically different heating demands depending on where they're located, how they're constructed, what they're growing, and how they're operated.
A greenhouse in Minnesota during January faces an entirely different challenge than one in Texas during March. A double-wall polycarbonate greenhouse behaves differently than a single-layer film structure. A greenhouse with significant air leakage will lose heat much faster than one with a tighter building envelope.
University greenhouse engineering research has consistently shown that heating demand is influenced by a combination of heat loss, glazing materials, infiltration, outside weather conditions, desired indoor temperatures, and solar gain—not simply greenhouse size. That's why energy modeling has become such an important part of commercial greenhouse design.
Those same variables influence how thermal storage performs.
WHAT PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS CAN ACTUALLY DO
One of the misconceptions we try to avoid is describing PCM as something that "creates" savings.
It doesn't.
Phase change materials don't generate energy, and they don't replace heating systems.
What they can do is help retain and redistribute thermal energy that already exists inside the greenhouse.
Throughout the day, solar energy naturally enters the structure and temperatures begin climbing. Rather than allowing all of that thermal energy to disappear rapidly after sunset, thermal storage helps retain a portion of it and release it later as temperatures begin falling.
That seemingly small shift can change how the greenhouse behaves overnight.
Instead of replacing every degree of lost heat with mechanical equipment, the greenhouse has another source of stored thermal energy contributing to environmental stability.
That's a very different conversation than simply adding a larger heater.
WHERE WE SEE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY
One thing we've consistently observed is that phase change materials tend to provide the greatest value when they're viewed as part of an overall thermal strategy rather than a standalone product.
Greenhouses that already have reasonable insulation, good environmental management, and consistent solar gain often provide the strongest opportunity for thermal storage because less energy is escaping before it has an opportunity to be reused.
Conversely, if a greenhouse has significant air leakage, poor insulation, or operational issues causing excessive heat loss, we generally believe those problems should be addressed first.
In our opinion, thermal storage should complement an efficient greenhouse—not compensate for an inefficient one.
That may not be the most exciting sales message.
We believe it's the most responsible one.
THE CONVERSATION SHOULD BE ABOUT HEATER RUNTIME, NOT JUST HEATING COST
One of the reasons heating-cost discussions become difficult is that every greenhouse measures success differently.
Some growers focus on fuel consumption.
Others care more about reducing heater runtime.
Some are trying to stabilize overnight temperatures.
Others are looking to extend their growing season.
Those objectives are related, but they aren't identical.
We've found it more useful to think about thermal storage in terms of how the greenhouse behaves rather than simply how much money it saves.
If the greenhouse experiences fewer dramatic temperature swings, if heaters cycle less frequently, and if more of the day's solar energy remains useful after sunset, the operation is generally moving in the right direction.
Financial savings often become a result of improved thermal performance—not the starting point.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Energy prices continue rising.
Greenhouses are becoming more sophisticated.
Environmental control is becoming increasingly important.
As those trends continue, we believe the conversation will gradually shift away from asking, "How much bigger of a heater do I need?" and toward asking, "How can I reduce the amount of heat I have to replace?"
Those are fundamentally different questions.
One focuses on producing energy.
The other focuses on managing it.
Fore Energy Perspective
If someone asks us whether phase change materials will reduce their heating costs, we don't think the most honest answer is simply "yes."
Our answer is, "Let's first understand how your greenhouse behaves."
Every greenhouse is different. Every climate is different. Every growing operation has different objectives.
We believe thermal storage delivers the greatest value when it's designed around the environment it's supporting rather than treated as a universal solution.
That's how we've always approached the conversation, and it's how we intend to continue approaching it.
— David Toups, Founder, Fore Energy
FINAL THOUGHTS
The future of greenhouse energy management probably won't be defined by a single product or technology.
It will be defined by better decisions.
Understanding where energy enters a greenhouse.
Understanding where it leaves.
And understanding how to keep more of it working throughout the day and into the night.
We believe phase change materials represent one piece of that larger picture.
Not because they eliminate heating systems.
But because they help greenhouses make better use of the energy they already receive.
That's a conversation we think is only just beginning.
Research & Industry Sources Referenced
- Cornell University Greenhouse Engineering Program
- Greenhouse Heat Loss & Energy Modeling Research
- Controlled Environment Agriculture Research
- Building Science & Thermal Management Literature
- Passive Solar Greenhouse Research
Topics Discussed
- Greenhouse Heating Costs
- Phase Change Materials
- Thermal Storage
- Heater Runtime
- Greenhouse Energy Efficiency
- Environmental Control
- Heat Loss
- Controlled Environment Agriculture
Continue Reading
- Passive Greenhouse Heating Explained
- Why Greenhouse Temperature Stability Matters More Than Temperature Alone
- PCM vs. Water Barrels for Greenhouses
- How Phase Change Materials Stabilize Greenhouse Temperatures