An innovative, Sustainable Greenhouse equipped with Artificial Intelligence, Hi-Tech Automation, and Control System (SusMedHouse)
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Ελληνικά (Greek)
The world population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, and food demand will increase proportionally. To answer these needs, by 2050, food production must increase by 60-100%. The challenge becomes greater since arable lands in the Mediterranean region decreased from 0.38 hectares per person to 0.23 between 1970 and 2000, with a projected decline to 0.15 hectares per person by 2050.
Because of the challenges of climate change, the scarcity of resources, demographic growth, contamination, desertification, degradation of arable lands, and loss of biodiversity, there is an urgent need to invest in improving productivity, farming efficiency, all-year around production, and agricultural sustainability. This is especially important in greenhouses, where optimum conditions can be provided to cope with all of the unpredictable and uncontrollable problems of environmental changes.
SUSMEDHOUSE SOLUTION
The SusMedHouse consortium is composed of seven partners from 6 different countries across Europe and the Mediterranean, grouping the entities AR&TeCS (Coordinator, Turkiye), Antalya Tarım (Turkiye), Water On-Line Analysis (Spain), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto (CNR-ISAFOM), Associação de Viticultores do Concelho de Palmela (AVIPE, Portugal), Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Germany), PROTEUS (Egypt), who focus precisely on those innovative approaches needed in the development and implementation of SusMedHouse Greenhouse Technologies.
The SusMedHouse focuses mainly on increasing greenhouse efficiency while conserving soil, water, and energy with new approaches.
These approaches are adapted and optimized for the SusMedHouse, i.e., the Mediterranean region, mainly based on the growers’ needs and the area’s environmental conditions. To examine the effect of cultivation methods on greenhouse efficiency and resource conservation, the scientists apply four cultivation methods, conventional, aquaponic, hydroponic, and Agro PV, in separate parts of SusMedHouse.
The SusMedHouse consists of -AI with Sensors and Automation System, –Decision Support System (DSS), -Sunlight and Lighting Optimization, -Real-Time Biosensors, Integrated Production and -Pest Management (IPPM), -Biodegradable Peat-Free Growth Media as depicted in the Concept Figure.
AI software
AI software has been used that consists of hi-tech, greenhouse-specialized optimization mechanisms and sensory networks to reach ideal plant growth with limited resources independent of the season and location.
Existing AI software has been improved for commercial greenhouse purposes. Fully controlled, artificially lightened 10 cabins were built and used to find the most optimum conditions for tomato, pepper, and lettuce growth using the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm. Image process technics were also used to calculate the growth of the plants. Thanks to its ability to control parameters and receive feedback from proximity, surveillance, and weight sensors, the AI learns and decides on the optimal conditions for plant growth. Several different algorithms were tested using LabVIEW to provide the fastest learning method. AI is integrated, and its compatibility with the whole system is demonstrated.
To develop a Decision Support System (DSS)
A decision support system (DSS) was developed to increase efficiency by providing real-time data and showing expected outcomes for actions; owing to pest and pathogen monitoring, early warning system, condition optimizer algorithms, a grid, and a market-connected cost calculator. DSS was integrated with the automation system and user interface. It guides the farmer by showing the expected profits and losses for different actions; this results in greater sustainability and smarter management when considering environmental impact data. It also helps to decide on harvestable areas and harvest time and has a user-friendly interface. A mobile application of DSS was developed to provide growers with easy monitoring and remote control of the greenhouses.
Innovative bio-degradable, peat-free growth media for plant development
The ISAFOM-CNR infrastructure produces lab-scale safe compost from “certified supply chain” source-collected waste streams (TRL 5), which represents a potentially valuable surrogate for peat in preparation for a more sustainable growth media for plant cultivation.
The new advanced biodegradable peat-free growing medium is being developed and tested under the supervision of ISAFOM-CNR.
New eco-friendly methods to fight pests and pathogens
AVIPE is developing new strategies to minimize pesticide use, such as innovative sexual confusion instruments. The eco-friendly growth media developed by ISAFOM-CNR also contributes to pathogen and pest management.
Optimization of solar energy
Sunlight and Lighting optimization, which contains the solar control coatings and PV panels as agro-photovoltaics to increase the efficiency in the greenhouse. New coating materials were developed and tested, such as low-emissions and heat isolation for the greenhouse plastics.
Photovoltaic panels are used in a small part of the greenhouse to examine the feasibility of electricity generation. Low-E and solar control coatings are used to maximize energy efficiency and keep the entire greenhouse at optimum temperature. The shading effect of PV panels is simulated by light. The optimal orientation and design of the PV system are determined to provide suitable crop-growing conditions. The solar control coating is optimized for energy demand and plant growth. LED design to provide artificial lighting to supplement sunlight when plants have insufficient lighting is evaluated and implemented.
Nutrient leakage to the surface, sub-surface, and groundwater to prevent eutrophication
The mass flow rate of nutrients and water is controlled in conventional cultivation, preventing the growth of eutrophicating organisms. To prevent leakage, a closed-loop system has been created with hydroponic. In addition, this AI-supported control system minimizes the excess usage of nutrients. To sum up, the SusMedHouse will provide sustainable, competitive, eco-friendly, and high-tech greenhouse production, also promoting year-round safe food production in the MED region.
The AI-supported, smart, energy-efficient, automated greenhouse system
A 2,000 m2 greenhouse with Agro-PV, Aquaponic, Hydroponic and Conventional sections was built to demonstrate whole system integrity and compatibility on a medium-scale greenhouse with the necessary control systems and sensors. Each section is divided into 2 sub-sections with a separate irrigation control system to be also used as a reference. This construction will enable automation and AI implementation to verify the concept and demonstrate the end-user application.
SusMedHouse provides a capability for performance comparison of the different greenhouse sections for various plants. A robotic system was also developed for image processing and spraying in greenhouses.
