Feb 17 2009
Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets: INTK), an emerging global leader in nanotechnology, announced today that the Company has launched "Nansulate Greenhouse", a thin film, easy to apply, thermal insulation coating designed to be applied to the clear panels of greenhouses to reduce energy consumption and costs without reducing the passage of light critical to healthy plant growth.
The Company recently completed spectrophotometer testing on its patented translucent Nansulate® Greenhouse product to measure light transmission and absorbance through the thermally insulating and mold resistant coating. The data demonstrates that Nansulate does not interfere with the important visible light needed for healthy plant growth, while offering effective thermal insulation benefits to reduce the energy needed to maintain optimal temperatures in greenhouses, therefore significantly reducing operating expenses.
The testing was completed by Princeton Polymer Laboratories on a Beckman DU 600 full scanning UV spectrophotometer. Results showed that in the 400-700 nanometer wavelength range, which is critical to plant growth, it allowed 92% of visible light to pass through. In comparison, normal paned glass allows 90%-94% of visible light to pass through. A copy of the data can downloaded at www.nansulategreenhouse.com.
“Nansulate has unique benefits to offer the greenhouse agricultural industry,” stated Francesca Crolley, V.P. Operations & Marketing for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. “Our coatings provide excellent thermal insulation, as well as resistance to mold and fungus growth. Verification of the light transmission was the last piece of data we needed before offering this important solution to this essential industry. Our cost comparison analysis with insulation products that are currently being used in this industry show that not only can we offer a superior product for light transmission and thermal insulation, but at a very competitive cost. Our new greenhouse coating, NANSULATE GREENHOUSE, can be easily and quickly applied with a conventional paint sprayer or brush, costs about 37 cents per square foot for the recommended 3-coat application, and will last for a decade. In comparison, bubble insulation commonly used for greenhouses costs about 50 cents per square foot when you include the hardware needed to mount it (clips, Tek screws, adhesive spray) and is reported to last from three to four years. Nansulate offers an effective way for growers to use less energy heating their greenhouses, while allowing the necessary visible light for plant growth to pass through. It is an excellent and cost effective solution for this industry.”
Estimates show that more than 80 percent of energy used for greenhouses goes toward heating. In northern climates, energy for heating greenhouses is a major expense. For commercial growers, energy costs represent the third-largest expense after labor and stock.
The commercial greenhouse growers market is divided between food/vegetable growers and flower growers, or floriculture. Floriculture is a $10 billion component of the U.S. economy. Worldwide, 145 countries are involved in greenhouse flower production. Wholesale value of world floriculture industry was $101.84 billion in 2003 and is increasing at approximately 11% to 15% per year. Greenhouse food crops grown commercially include tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, eggplant, and a variety of others.