News
Sky High - Plant flats with LEDs
On 7 November 2019 five new research programmes have started which are funded by the Perspectief programme of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The research programmes awarded funding this year focus on innovative forms of food supply, protecting freshwater supplies, improving animal welfare in intensive livestock farming, accurate medical imaging, and smarter maintenance of high-tech systems. The included programme Sky High was initiated by the HPP-group and prof. L.F.M. Marcelis will be programme leader.
SKY HIGH: Vertical farming, a revolution in plant production
We need to provide a growing world population with food, even though more and more people live in towns and cities, there are often water shortages, and the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables has been falling for decades. By growing plants in layers above each other and illuminating them with special LED lamps, fresh vegetables can be produced throughout the world under all weather and climate conditions over the entire year.
Within the SKY HIGH programme, researchers, together with lighting specialists, breeding companies, growers, horticulture technology companies, architects and food suppliers, will make this type of vertical agriculture cheaper and more energy-efficient. In addition, the aim is to use this type of vertical farming to produce vegetables and herbs with a better taste, shelf life and nutritional value, while using extremely little water and nutrients, and no pesticides.
Programme leader: Prof. L.F.M. Marcelis (Wageningen University)
Participants: Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), Bayer, Bosman Van Zaal, Certhon, Fresh Forward, Grodan, GROWx, HAS University of Applied Sciences, Own Greens, Priva, Signify (Philips Lighting), Solynta, TU Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology, Unilever, Leiden University, University of Amsterdam, Van Bergen Kolpa Architects, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University.