On 11-13 June, GreenTech Amsterdam returned to the Dutch capital as technology companies showcased solutions to the most pressing issues facing growers in the horticulture sector, including climate change, rising costs and labour shortages
\nIn June, GreenTech Amsterdam welcomed a total of 510 exhibitors and over 12,200 visitors, 5 per cent more than last year, to the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. The event highlighted the future of horticulture, with various stages featuring discussions on topics including \u2018Tools and vision in Data and AI\u2019, \u2018Greenhouse: The road to a zero footprint?\u2019, and \u2018Future vision: A valuable tasty & healthy horticulture\u2019.<\/p>\n
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\nGreenTech 2024<\/p>\n
Side events included the GreenTech Innovation & Concept Awards. Sustainable solutions provider Koppert picked up the Concept Award for its Digital Assistant, while autonomous growing specialist Blue Radix won the Innovation Award for its Integrated Autonomous Climate & Irrigation Control.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the jury for the awards, Egon Janssen, explained the decision. \u201cArtificial Intelligence and data science are developing really fast,\u201d he said. \u201cThe winners of the concept and innovation award show that this new technology can help to improve sustainability and reduce labour shortages. The jury was impressed by the scalability of the winning innovation and concept, which can result in a huge impact in the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Digital Assistant embodies a revolutionary leap forward, surpassing superficial chat bot interaction,\u201d Koppert said. \u201cIt provides personalised and context-rich support to growers and consultants for unique IPM challenges, by incorporating vital data from grower\u2019s own crop management system (e.g. climate, pest prevalence, treatments) and our unique knowledge of IPM management and agricultural practices.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue Radix\u2019s Integrated Autonomous Climate & Irrigation Control is a Crop Controller that integrates Autonomous Climate and Irrigation Control. The Crop Controller ensures precise climate and irrigation execution, reducing climate computer work by 80 per cent. \u201cIt revolutionises daily greenhouse management, delivering a 5 per cent profit increase and a 7 per cent yield improvement, 10 per cent less water and fertiliser usage, and 15 per cent energy savings,\u201d Blue Radix stated.<\/p>\n
A total of 119 countries attended the trade show, according to Mariska Dreschler, director horticulture at GreenTech Global. The top five countries represented were the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, the UK and Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe horticulture industry is experiencing a mix of challenges and opportunities,\u201d she said. \u201cThe positive energy on the show floor was visible, with numerous new products launched. We received a record of 47 entries for the Innovation & Concept Awards. Striking was that over 45 country official delegations attended to witness the latest developments and gain insights into current trends. Key discussion topics included AI, data, labour solutions, LED technology, and water and energy efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n
LettUs Grow
\nAmong this year\u2019s exhibitors was LettUs Grow, which simulates the perfect soil environment without any soil. \u201cWe\u2019ve evaluated our technology with the best people at Wageningen University a few years ago, and since then we\u2019ve been scaling up our manufacturing capabilities, working with partners here in Europe, in the US, and now in India as we start scaling these systems around the world,\u201d said CEO and co-founder Charlie Guy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe use aeroponics, which means that we take a nutrient solution and we turn it into a mist, using some fancy electronics and ultrasound technology,\u201d said Guy. \u201cEffectively what we\u2019re doing is shaking that nutrient solution until particles break off into a mist. The plants love it. The roots grow down into that mist, and they can capture much more oxygen for more effective respiration. And that actually means they grow much faster. So we get around 20 per cent yield uplift in leafy greens and herbs.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nLettUs Grow<\/p>\n
Charlie Guy of LettUs Grow<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s solution is targeted at greenhouse production. \u201cIt\u2019s a market that needs to find solutions that can help in reducing water, reducing the impact of growing media and boosting grower productivity, and we offer all three of these,\u201d said Guy. \u201cThere are hundreds of different providers of growing media for hydroponics, which is a way of simulating the soil in a way that is less damaging to the soil than traditional farming methods. What we do is take that a step further, and we\u2019ve really reduced the need for growing media. So it\u2019s a very, very low impact way of growing where we\u2019re just feeding the roots directly with what they need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kubo
\nKubo announced the construction of the first CO2-negative greenhouse in the world. \u201cWe don\u2019t inject any CO2 into the greenhouse,\u201d the company said. \u201cWe get it from the natural air. It provides the best results both commercially and environmentally.\u201d<\/p>\n
The company has tested the greenhouse on tomatoes, and is now testing it with other vegetables and soft fruit. \u201cWe\u2019re taking the outside air and creating enough air movement to ensure the plants can take the CO2 from this air,\u201d said Wouter Kuiper. \u201cInstead of being the polluter, greenhouses become the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hortilux
\nNXTLED is Hortilux\u2019s newest lightest fixture, according to the company\u2019s Lawrence Kemerink, with the first deliveries due in July. \u201cIt\u2019s our new model for this year, so we really wanted to promote it at GreenTech,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With an efficacy of up to 4.1 \u03bcmol\/J, a power of up to 1400W and an output of over 5500 \u03bcmol, the Hortilux NXTLED is the most efficient fixture on the market, according to the company. \u201cIt is designed for the big greenhouses, so mainly for growers of products like tomatoes and cucumbers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Organifarms
\nOrganifarms\u2019 autonomous robotic strawberry picker appeared once again at GreenTech, but with optimised software and an added cleaner for the gripper to prevent it getting sticky during harvesting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe robot senses the ripeness of the fruit to pick at the right time and automatically picks the right weight for the punnets,\u201d said CMO and co-founder Hannah Brown. \u201cThe fruit is not touched at all, so this helps with the shelf-life. The machine works 24\/7, and picks at a slightly higher rate than a human.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, Organifarms\u2019 customers are based in Europe, mainly in Germany and the Netherlands. \u201cWe\u2019re currently focused on strawberries at the moment,\u201d said Brown, \u201cbut after scaling the production of this robot, we will start the development of new products, including for other crops.\u201d<\/p>\n
Corvus Drones
\nCorvus Drones are designed for efficient autonomous monitoring of greenhouse-grown salad and flower crops. \u201cEspecially in the bigger greenhouses, it\u2019s a lot more affordable than having, say three to four people working full time monitoring the crops,\u201d said the company\u2019s Hugo Klok. \u201cYou can to divide a greenhouse into different zones, and schedule the time for the drone to take off and monitor a particular area. Say you schedule the drone for 10am. The drone will take off at that time, fly to the specified zone, scan it, and then fly back to resume charging. Then you can schedule a task for an hour later, for example. It\u2019s a fully autonomous process.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nCorvus Drones<\/p>\n
A Corvus drone in action<\/p>\n
The company also offers the drone as a service for a monthly fee, including data analysis and reports. \u201cIf something breaks, the customer can send it back for a replacement, and when we release a new model, we will update it,\u201d said Klok. \u201cIt is being used everywhere, from European countries like Netherlands and Germany to Ecuador and Kenya.\u201d<\/p>\n
Octiva
\nOctiva creates robotic labour automation solutions, including its autonomous robotic strawberry picker and its Kompano leaf-cutting robot. \u201cWe have a fully modular system which allows customers to exchange all applications on the same base platform,\u201d said CEO Tom Coen, \u201cwhich is essential for returns on investment for the grower.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Coen, the aim is to bring autonomy and sustainability together. \u201cPersonally, I think cost reduction shouldn\u2019t be the focus in horticulture,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a margin-controlled business, because what happens is the product becomes cheaper. So our focus is scarcity of labour, quality of labour, consistency of labour. And of course it needs to be competitive cost-wise for the consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iyris
\nIyris, formerly known as Red Sea, assists growers in harsh environments to boost yields, reduce costs and risk and extend the growing seasons. The company\u2019s main product, developed at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, seeks to do just that. SecondSky is a transparent cover that blocks excessive heat, reducing stress on the plants.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis blocks near infrared radiation in the greenhouse,\u201d said Richard Kohn, global marketing director and head of external relations. \u201cSo we can save up to 45 per cent of near infrared radiation, depending on the amount of additive. And that will save roughly six to seven degrees before any cooling system in peak temperatures. So that results in less power, less water, less energy put into the greenhouse to maintain it, and we can extend the growing seasons. The quality of the crop is also improved because the transpiration rate on the leaf isn\u2019t as stressed, so the quality increases. You can achieve a threefold yield increase by just changing the roof.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nIyris<\/p>\n
Richard Kohn and the Iyris team<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s not only the hottest places that can make the most of SecondSky. \u201cWe\u2019re doing trials in Kent in the UK,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you get one intense day in the UK, the plants will get stressed, even just from that one day. So we\u2019ve actually seen some really positive results in Kent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the most unique solution here, and furthermore, unlike most companies at this exhibition, we\u2019re aimed at low- to mid-tech farmers. We\u2019re focused on the smaller farmer with the bigger need, addressing the key issue today, which is the climate. Our solutions are very affordable as well, with a return on investment expected after just one crop cycle. We\u2019re really not asking a farm to change anything. They have to replace their roof at some stage because it\u2019s going to degrade. What we\u2019re encouraging is just an upgrade. And with a small premium, you get a payback within a single crop cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Signify
\nEsther de Beer of Signify, formerly known as Philips Lighting, said one of the company\u2019s projects aims to demonstrate that by switching to LED and combining it with a more intensive use of screens, companies can save 40 per cent on their total energy bill. \u201cWith energy prices going up, this has been interesting to many growers,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have found that if you steer your climate in a proper way, and that means using screens and active dehumidification, then you can get to this level of saving.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project has focused its research on tomatoes, but De Beer said its applications are much broader, including for cucumbers and flowers. \u201cIn the Netherlands, we have regulations that greenhouses need to be equipped with blackout screens to avoid illuminating the whole environment in the middle of night,\u201d she said. \u201cBut there\u2019s also another type called an energy screen that\u2019s pretty much transparent. It lets in a lot of sunlight, but keeps the warmth inside the greenhouse. And that means you\u2019ve got two screens in your greenhouse that you can use to both steer natural lighting and also manage the insulation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 11-13 June, GreenTech Amsterdam returned to the Dutch capital as technology companies showcased solutions to the most pressing issues facing growers in the horticulture sector, including climate change, rising costs and labour shortages In June, GreenTech Amsterdam welcomed a total of 510 exhibitors and over 12,200 visitors, 5 per cent more than last year, to the RAI Amsterdam Convention […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[116],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n