It all starts ten years ago with a shipping container in which LED lights were installed in layers. Leafy vegetables can be harvested year-round in these layers as is the idea. Led technology isn’t as efficient as we might want but entrepreneurs Peter Christiaens, René van Haeff and Michel la Crois see its potential. Experiments are being done with crops like spinach and other types of lettuce in association with partners like Van Dijck Groenteproducties who are members of growers association Fossa Eugenia. In doing so Light4Food can gather the necessary experience for growing in an indoor environment. Light, climate, and air are being kept in the optimum balance in a computer-controlled environment. The first indoor growing facility is born.
Mobile climate chamber for rent
The innovation gets a lot of interest mainly from companies in seed breeding. The initial investment for a fixed installation, however, is quite high which still holds companies back on buying them. For this the entrepreneurs thought up a solution; they are developing a Mobile Climate Chamber to rent out for plant related research looking at possibilities of indoor growing.
The innovation gets a lot of interest mainly from companies in seed breeding. The initial investment for a fixed installation, however, is quite high which still holds companies back on buying them. For this the entrepreneurs thought up a solution; they are developing a Mobile Climate Chamber to rent out for plant related research looking at possibilities of indoor growing.
In the following years, renting will soon change into buying. Mainly seed breeders both national and international are interested in these Mobile Climate Chambers for their own research. The most notable renter might just be Ciris in Norway, where they use the Mobile Climate Chamber for the International Space Station (ISS).
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First green thumbs
Light4Food might be a technology company but it is starting to get green thumbs. This is the reason for their success tells Van Haeff. “Many companies start in technique. But technique is not good if you don’t know what the plant needs. That’s why we have botanists in our company that, together with our clients, look at the specific trades and needs of certain crops. Having this information allows us to change the lighting, climate, and nourishment to increase efficiency.”
Own research and engineering
Light4Food invests in their own botanist research besides the production of their installations. Van Haeff tells us why. “Every crop requires a different spectrum of light, climate needs, air flow and nourishment. For every crop, we go look for the right botanist growing recipe and in which installation this recipe will work the best. The technical growing recipe. By researching this ourselves we can develop better products.” The botanists are also researching the ideal growing recipe for high wire crops like cucumbers and tomatoes.
Christiaens explains: “A tomato plant is obviously much larger than a lettuce and produces more moisture. This, for instance, requires a different division of light and air flow. All of our research leads to a new type of installation.”
The first test installation for indoor growing of high wire crops is built in what used to be a spraying booth. Soon more advanced installations can be built.
Extreme climate is an opportunity
Advantages of the new solutions mainly are in regards to efficiency. Van Haeff: "The time of the breeding cycle can be greatly reduced by this. The growth quality is more stable due to optimal growing conditions and the growing itself becomes much more sustainable because of recirculation and regeneration of warmth and water. These are important components when it comes to costs in horticulture.” At first, Light4Food will serve the seed breeding companies in the Netherlands. Later even countries with extreme climate conditions for growers like Russia and Saudi Arabia will come into the picture. The reputation of the Netherlands will make it so that the market will be able to find them.
Advantages of the new solutions mainly are in regards to efficiency. Van Haeff: "The time of the breeding cycle can be greatly reduced by this. The growth quality is more stable due to optimal growing conditions and the growing itself becomes much more sustainable because of recirculation and regeneration of warmth and water. These are important components when it comes to costs in horticulture.” At first, Light4Food will serve the seed breeding companies in the Netherlands. Later even countries with extreme climate conditions for growers like Russia and Saudi Arabia will come into the picture. The reputation of the Netherlands will make it so that the market will be able to find them.
Christiaens: "You can imagine how important it is in desert areas to absorb sunlight and water to re-use. In countries with extreme cold, you want to be able to heath in an energy efficient way. By growing in one controlled environment you take away a lot of uncertainties and give sustainability.”
Indoor growing, not everywhere and all the time
Yet, the partners realise that indoor growing is not always the best solution. Van Haeff: "For the more generic crops like potatoes and grain outdoor growing remains a great way of doing things, especially in Western Europe. This is also something we look at with our partners and clients: when will indoor growing get interesting and how do we get there?” Producing more efficiently and wasting less they see as a theme that is applicable to all agri-food.
Yet, the partners realise that indoor growing is not always the best solution. Van Haeff: "For the more generic crops like potatoes and grain outdoor growing remains a great way of doing things, especially in Western Europe. This is also something we look at with our partners and clients: when will indoor growing get interesting and how do we get there?” Producing more efficiently and wasting less they see as a theme that is applicable to all agri-food.
Christaens: "Here lies the solution to the worlds food problem. There is still so much being wasted in all phases from farm to table that there is still a world to win over.”
Free thinking and implementation
When talking with Van Haeff and Christiaens it becomes clear: innovation is in their blood. They both believe you can not learn how to be innovative. Christiaens: "You must be sort of a hippie and dare to think freely. If you only see bears on the road you won't get anywhere.” At the same time though they believe you can stimulate innovation within a company. Van Haeff: "We have weekly meetings with all of our employees in which we look back at projects and discuss things we can still improve upon. This is how we create a company culture that keeps on evolving.”
When talking with Van Haeff and Christiaens it becomes clear: innovation is in their blood. They both believe you can not learn how to be innovative. Christiaens: "You must be sort of a hippie and dare to think freely. If you only see bears on the road you won't get anywhere.” At the same time though they believe you can stimulate innovation within a company. Van Haeff: "We have weekly meetings with all of our employees in which we look back at projects and discuss things we can still improve upon. This is how we create a company culture that keeps on evolving.”
By now they know that only innovating won't work. “if you only want to think of new ideas and not about implementation you cant build a good company. The art is in finding the balance.”
Innovation tips
The entrepreneurs have tree tips for innovation-seeking companies in the agri-food sector.
- Combining young talent with people who have been in the business for a long time. “We have a couple nearly retired employees with years of experience in things like lighting and growing, air treatment or engineering. This can be very useful if you want to be able to test out a new idea and eventually make a real product. The younger generation, on the other hand, is super-fast with computer technology.”
- Find suitable partners and allow each other to do things. “don’t try to do everything by yourself, together you can figure things out much faster. But you have to allow each other this and share your knowledge freely amongst each other. You will know rather quickly if this is possible. The give and take must be in balance.”
- Innovate from a demand or need. “Innovation without demand has no use, then it becomes just a gimmick. Do some research on the market. Talk to people and discover what it is they want.”
Source: Kiempunt-Limburg