FUTURE GROWING
Winter growing and smarter heating
August 2026
Exploring wood-fired hydronic heating with gas backup for our proposed new growing space.
North East Victorian winters make temperature management one of the important questions for the next stage of King Valley Aquaponics.
For the proposed new build we are looking at a wood-fired hydronic system, using heated water to distribute warmth through the protected growing area, with gas backup available when extra heat is needed or the wood system is not operating.
The aim is to investigate where heat will make the greatest difference — including the growing environment and potentially the aquaponics water — without wasting energy by heating more space than necessary.
The design is still being worked through. Greenhouse size, insulation, water volume, heat storage, controls and operating costs will all influence the final system.
What we're considering
- Wood-fired hydronic heating
- Gas backup for reliability
- Protected and insulated growing areas
- Aquaponics water-temperature management
- Heat storage, circulation and simple controls