Continuesly, innovations are introduced to the horticulture industry. In this Special Year Over View edition, we highlight 10 stories on innovations that are used in the greenhouse that we've publsihed in 2022.
Full control of the amount of light in the greenhouse
Certhon launches its latest innovation: SupriSun. As a grower, this new greenhouse gives you full control over the amount of light coming in. It is a greenhouse concept that, together with the climate systems, gives you the control you are used to having in an indoor farm. "You can think of it as an indoor farm, but without the high energy costs because you are utilizing the power of the sun," says John van der Sande, Chief Innovation Officer. The SupriSun can be built as a stand-alone greenhouse as well as in combination with Certhon's earlier innovation: Gronos.
New semi-closed greenhouse solution launched
The (Airmix) X-AIR is the latest development for the semi-closed greenhouse. According to the developers, (Airmix) X-AIR ensures all the benefits of outside air ventilation, a more homogeneous climate with minimal energy consumption, resulting in the highest yield and quality of the crop in the shortest time possible in any climate worldwide. A few years ago, Van der Ende Group introduced the patented Airmix to the greenhouse horticulture market, a solution in which an optimal greenhouse climate can be realized in an innovative way. "With Airmix, the greenhouse air can be ventilated and dehumidified in a controlled manner. This innovation has not gone unnoticed. Various growers, both nationally and internationally, have installed Airmix, and the concept has also been embraced by Dalsem – Complete Greenhouse Projects", the team says.
Mobile calculation container replaces boiler for greenhouse heating: 30% reduction in gas consumption
Various Dutch growers nowadays have a special mobile calculation container next to their greenhouse. Those who don't know any better will see a number of 'computers' suspended in a vat of oil. Actually, they are data servers in special oil. The container plays an important role in the gas-free heating of greenhouses. Rick Bakker and Jelmer ten Wolde introduce the Greenbox. The Greenbox is a product of Greentech Technologies. This has recently become the name of Sustainable Data Farming after the Dutch company entered into a partnership with the Swiss namesake. Greentech Technologies is now marketing a 2.0 version of the container, which has twice the capacity. This summer, serial production of the Greenbox started in the Netherlands.
WUR demonstrates more economical cultivation in greenhouse without gas: 'Grower's heat requirement can halve'
At Wageningen University & Research in Bleiswijk, researchers are demonstrating how growers can grow more economically. Numerous crops have already been shown to be (much) more economical. Frank Kempkes, researcher in Energy and Greenhouse Climate at Wageningen University & Research in Bleiswijk, pronounces that the heat requirement of a conventional horticultural business can still be halved with a combination of techniques. He does so in no. 2, 2022, of the university magazine 'Wageningen World.' Below is a piece from that story.
HortiContact Innovation Awards 2022 nominations announced
Broekhof won the Innovation award, but there were three nominees for this year's Dutch HortiContact Innovation Award. They were Signify, Broekhof Verpakkingen BV, and PATS-drones.
Grow light system now connected to horti process computer
The Climalux CLX-V1000 grow light system was recently connected to the Priva Connext horticultural process computer at Carnation Nursery Nieuwland in Hoek van Holland. This makes it possible to communicate with the Horticulture Control Unit of Climalux. As a result, it is now possible to optimally integrate any Climalux grow light system into Priva's horticultural computer systems.
Texas A&M AgriLife debuts automated precision phenotyping greenhouse
Featuring remote sensing and data-capturing capabilities, Texas A&M AgriLife Research has launched “the future of agricultural research” with its multi-million dollar Automated Precision Phenotyping Greenhouse on the Texas A&M University campus in Bryan-College Station. The greenhouse is part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Plant Growth and Phenotyping Facility, which also includes the Borlaug Center for Southern Crop Improvement.
More light with less power"
Kiepflower Nursery has just taken a big step in terms of energy thanks to the new lighting installation from Hortilux, with whom the company has had a good partnership for many years. Co-owner of Kiepflower, Albert Kiep tells us more about it.
Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force to make U.S. and Canada debut
Signify showcased the Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force (TLF) for the North American market at the 2022 Global Produce & Floral Show, October 27-29, 2022, in Orlando, Florida. This was the first time growers in the U.S. could see the North American version of the Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force (TLF), which is an expansion of its range of Philips GreenPower LED toplighting products that includes the Philips toplighting linear and toplighting compact.
HPGen winds Iberflora Innovation Award
HPGen has won the Iberflora Innovation Award for technological improvement in ornamental production. "The award, named after Professor Ballester-Olmos of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, once again confirms the practical use of our groundbreaking technology to generate hydrogen peroxide on-site. Ornamental growers can use the HPGen to produce ultra-pure hydrogen peroxide for treating the irrigation system in an environmentally friendly way and without generating any type of waste, using only water, electricity, and air", the team with HPNow states.