Joined up thinking: food & energy grids

It may not always feel like it at this time of year, but on our planet we are blessed to bathe in a constant and abundant stream of energy and warmth. Effectively, all of this energy comes from the sun before being transformed, stored, or used in some way. From the organic matter that once formed our…

Viparspectra

"LED grow lights with high performance and less energy consumption"

ViparSpectra XS1000 led grow light is coming to the market in March 2021. XS1000 is ViparSpectra's newest QB-style led grow light. Featuring in Samsung LM301B diodes, mean well driver, and advanced heat dissipation function, ViparSpectra XS1000 improves plants yields up to a max of 2.9g/watt. It has high…

Creating agtech campuses in Kansas that use renewable energy

Previously, Kansas Freedom Farms, a technology company based in Overland Park, Kansas announced its plans to build multiple state-of-the-art agtech “campuses” as commercial real estate developments across the state. Planned for 2021 to 2026, the construction will typically occur in five phases with each…

"Three ways to maximize a vertical farm's potential"

Population growth and urbanization are forcing global food production to a crossroads. Overall, migration to high-density areas increases access to health care, higher-paying jobs, education, and other socio-economic opportunities. It also places more strain on existing infrastructure and demand for…

FreightFarms

Providing a sustainable growing solution for farmers, using renewable energy in container farming

“The past year has really proved our proposition as it has never been proven before,” says Rick Vanzura, CEO at FreightFarms. “The pandemic put a huge focus on supply chain security, local food access, and how to handle disruption to a supply chain, and we saw that having a modular farming solution that…

Study on implementation of hydroponics as a twin support for electric power

Electricity is something that is connected to fixed or moving costs. Many researchers have developed machines based on graphene and silica to produce electricity from stagnant…

Vertical farms vs greenhouses: energy and LED costs and differences

One of the leading critiques of vertical farming is that replacing natural sunlight and open air with LED bulbs and climate control requires electricity, lots of it. “If the source of the energy is not renewable,” points out Henry Gordon-Smith, the CEO of Agritecture, an independent consultancy that…

Guide to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)

There are several different terms that are essential to understanding grow lighting and the optimisation of plant yields across multiple climates, grow spaces and plant types. One of the most important of these is photosynthetically active radiation, commonly referred to as PAR. In a recent blog post,…

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Study on use of microalgae as clean source of hydrogen production

Researchers at Monash University's Department of Chemical Engineering, IITB-Monash Research Academy Mumbai, and The Indian Institute of Technology's Department of Chemical Engineering have used reactive flash volatilisation (RFV) gasification technology to produce hydrogen using microalgae, giving rise…

CHAP webinar: bridging the gap between science and practice

Hosted by CHAP International business Manager Jenna Ross, the webinar aimed to open the doors of CHAP delivery partner, Cranfield University and show how the facilities can be used to better understand the complex interaction between soil properties and plant growth. CHAP Commercial Director Linsey…

"More light with a smaller fixture"

The development of LED lighting for greenhouse horticulture is constantly developing. The Dutch Powerhouse Monarch from Oreon was introduced exactly one year ago at Fruit…