High Tech Greenhouse 2020

Innovations in Greenhouse Production Technology

Greenhouse horticulture is facing immense challenges driven by 21^st century social and market conditions in Germany, the Netherlands and indeed the rest of the world. Numerous factors lie at the heart of these challenges, including a growing lack of living space due to population booms, a growing scarcity of essential resources (both fossil fuels and water), and consumers’ increasingly complex demands in terms of product functionality and quality. Technical and agricultural innovations in greenhouse cultivation are essential tools to reacting and adapting to these changing conditions in an effective manner.

The project High Tech Greenhouse 2020 marks an important contribution to this effort. This research project aims to develop a fully-integrated, high tech greenhouse system which can ensure sustainable production. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Becker of the Faculty of Communication and Environment is a contributing researcher to the project, which is coordinated by the Floriade and Greenport Venlo in conjunction with the Limburg Development and Investment Society (LIOF). Together with innovative German and Dutch companies and research institutes, Prof. Becker works on improving the functionality and performance of greenhouse production systems based on a new greenhouse prototype. The project combines innovative solutions for a number of key areas, including climate technology, energy, light, substrates and water, thus also making a general contribution to the development of overall healthier, more sustainable products for consumers.

Fünf Teilentwicklungen dieser Hightech-Pilotanlage werden beim Tomatenerzeuger Sunny Tom im Greenport Venlo realisiert, wo bereits das Greenport-Gewächshaus I gebaut wurde. Darüber hinaus werden zwei Einzelversuche im Gartenbaubetrieb Hanka in Kempen vorgenommen. Nach der Auswertung werden alle Einzelentwicklungen kombiniert und zu einer vollständigen Pilotanlage integriert, die in der Praxis getestet wird. Nach Abschluss des Projekts werden die Forschungsarbeiten bei Sunny Tom und Hanka fortgesetzt. So steht nach Ablauf des Projekts auf jeden Fall das Versuchsgewächshaus für die Forschung und Entwicklung sowie für Studien- und Ausbildungsaktivitäten zur Verfügung. Die entwickelten Technologien kommen nach Projektende bei Sunny Tom und Hanka zum Einsatz.

Five integral parts of this advanced prototype greenhouse are being developed by tomato producer Sunny Tom in Greenport Venlo, NL, which is already home to another high-tech greenhouse, the Greenport Greenhouse I. Additionally, two individual project experiments will be conducted in the horticultural firm Hanka in Kempen, Germany. Following a subsequent analysis and evaluation phase, the individual project contributions will be combined to create a single pilot greenhouse installation for practical testing. After the project’s conclusion, Sunny Tom and Hanka will incorporate the innovative developments into their own business practices, while also continuing research in the field. Thus, the project’s experimental greenhouse system will remain a valuable tool for future R&D as well as for practical training for employees and students.

The total project volume amounts to 3.4 million euros, of which over a million is financed by the following group of 17 partners:

Greenport Venlo Innovation Center, Regio Venlo Floriade 2012 BV, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Wageningen University, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, the Forschungszentrum Jülich, TNO, ISIS-IC GmbH, Elektro Limburg BV, Grodan BV, Hoogendoorn Automatisering BV, Vostermans Ventilation BV, Pentair Haffmans BV, Intelli-labs Deutschland, Patron AEM BV, Water IQ BV, Phenospex GmbH, Doppelbauer Anlagentechnik and Innocom-IT.