The Resource Innovation Institute (RII) welcomes its latest round of producer-partners planning to benchmark their energy- and water-efficiency performance metrics as part of a USDA-funded project aimed at encouraging innovation and resource efficiency in the CEA industry. The three-year project is meant to coordinate research in the sector and establish industry performance standards and best practices.
Already many CEA producers have agreed to take part. The most recent round includes Loma Vista Nursery (Kan.), the University of Vermont Horticulture Research & Education Center (Vt.), Controlled Environmental Farming (Wis.) and Vertical Harvest (Wyo.) They join pilot partners AppHarvest, Fifth Season, Revol Greens and Elevate Farms. More producer-partners will be announced in the near future.
“We are delighted to partner with these CEA producers as we continue to foster collaboration and create industry standards for resource efficiency,” said Derek Smith, Executive Director of RII. “Building a trusted, representative aggregate dataset is the optimal way to make sure that standards are meaningful, reliable, and uniform throughout the industry.”
Throughout this year, RII is releasing new CEA best-practices guidance as part of the project. The first of these peer-reviewed publications was just released and will help utilities and efficiency program managers understand the savings potential of resource-efficient technologies, how to quantify these benefits, and the most effective ways to support producers in adopting efficient practices. Additional guides on the horizon will offer guidance to producers on topics such as cultivating with LED lighting, operating HVAC systems and integrating controls and automation.
For more information:
Resource Innovation Center
www.resourceinnovation.org