Key Takeaways:
- Strategic Partnership: WA3RM collaborates with KUBO to expand modern greenhouse vegetable production in Scandinavia.
- Sustainable Technology: The partnership aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of greenhouses by utilizing waste heat from industrial processes.
- Potential Market Growth: The initiative could transform Scandinavia into a key hub for vegetable production in Europe, with potential to become a net exporter.
Introduction to the Collaboration
WA3RM, a Swedish innovator in sustainable agriculture, has teamed up with KUBO, a global leader in high-tech greenhouse supplies, to significantly boost vegetable production in Scandinavia by using advanced greenhouses powered by waste heat from industrial activities.
Goals and Benefits of the Partnership
The collaboration aims to develop up to 200 hectares of state-of-the-art greenhouses. This venture will start with a 20-hectare greenhouse in Sweden dedicated to tomato production, which will nearly match the current total greenhouse area for tomatoes in the country. Jacques Ejlerskov, CEO of WA3RM AB, highlighted the project’s scale and potential impact, stating, “We strongly believe that Sweden and Scandinavia have the potential to greatly increase its self-sufficiency of vegetables and possibly even become net-exporting countries.”
Utilizing Waste Heat for Sustainable Cultivation
This initiative plans to use waste heat from large industrial production to create a circular, eco-friendly model that supports vegetable growth even in colder climates. This approach makes the process sustainable and profitable by significantly reducing the energy costs associated with heating greenhouses.
Technological Integration and Sustainability
Wouter Kuiper, CEO of KUBO, emphasized the technological synergy, “It is very interesting to see that different technologies are now coming together. Semi-closed greenhouses can be heated with low-grade heat, perfect for waste heat. In addition, almost all electricity in Scandinavia is made from hydro generation. All in all, a very sustainable solution for growing green food, literally and figuratively.”
Impact on Local and European Markets
The use of modern greenhouses, which can operate with minimal environmental impact, positions Scandinavia as an emerging leader in sustainable vegetable production. The demand for sustainably produced, plant-based foods continues to rise, and this project directly addresses critical issues such as water shortages and the reliance on fossil fuels for heating in agriculture.
Image provided by KUBO Greenhouse
