THERMOACTIVE Operational Group: Thermosensitive plastic for greenhouse coverings
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2023 -2025
- Assigned Budget 299.968,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Andalucía
- Project website GO THERMOACTIVE
- Development of the optimal formulation for industrial masterbatch production (benefitting the industrial sector).
- Establishment of parameters to be taken into account in the industrial manufacturing of masterbatch (benefit of the industrial sector).
- Production of the masterbatch required for the execution of the remaining actions (benefit of the industrial sector).
- Definition of the optimal formulation for the manufacture of thermosensitive plastic (benefit of the industrial sector).
- Development of the protocol for industrial plastic extrusion (benefitting the industrial sector).
- Manufacturing of thermosensitive plastic with the appropriate properties required for field evaluations (benefiting the industrial and agricultural sectors).
- Quantification of the climate and production improvements achieved with thermosensitive plastic compared to a standard material. Cost-benefit analysis (benefit for the agricultural sector).
- Dissemination of the results obtained to end users and society in general (benefit of the agricultural sector).
- Masterbatch production.
- Manufacturing of thermosensitive plastic.
- Evaluation of cover material in both an experimental and a commercial greenhouse.
The greenhouse cover is the element that insulates it from the outside, allowing for more suitable environmental conditions for growing crops than those found outdoors, thus achieving greater production per unit of surface area. In this regard, thermosensitive plastics are capable of darkening when they reach a certain temperature, regaining their original transmissivity when the temperature drops, and then deactivating. However, these materials are not yet commercially available.
This project proposes the commercial development of a plastic of this type, which will provide significant improvements in productivity (due to an increase in the PAR radiation incident on the crop and greater diffusivity) and will prevent the greenhouse cover from whitening (due to the shading effect caused by the plastic itself when activated).
The latter is especially relevant today, as for safety reasons, restrictions on worker access to greenhouse roofs are beginning to be imposed to prevent workplace accidents. At the same time, they reduce water consumption by eliminating the need to apply lime.
The overall goal of the operating group is to develop an innovative thermosensitive plastic with an optimal activation point for the growing conditions of typical greenhouses in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, while also being cost-effective for farmers.
- Name of coordinator/entity: Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organizations of Almería, COEXPHAL
- Postal address: AVENUE OF THE CANTINAS, 2. 04746. LA MOJONERA (ALMERÍA)
- Coordinator/entity email: victoria@coexphal.es
- Telephone: 0034 687696989
The AEI objectives to which this project contributes are:
- Mitigation and adaptation to climate change: Greenhouse cultivation allows for more favorable environmental conditions than outdoors, such as in desert areas (oasis effect). However, the increase in temperature caused by climate change makes greenhouse management difficult. The thermosensitive film being developed will help control excessive heat more efficiently.
- Achieving more efficient use of water in agriculture by avoiding bleaching and increasing crop productivity, which will lead to greater water use efficiency.
- Achieving more efficient energy use in agriculture, as the developed thermosensitive plastic will reduce heat input into greenhouses, thereby reducing the energy requirements for cooling.
This project is related to the Focus Areas of Rural Development programmed in the Andalusian RDP 2014-2020:
- The technology to be developed will increase the productivity and profitability of protected crops.
- The project involves technology companies collaborating with innovation and research centers to develop an innovative greenhouse covering film that will enable greater productivity and resource efficiency and will be available to farmers.
- Preventing greenhouse roofs from whitewashing with the new technology will reduce water use.
- The increased productivity achieved will indirectly lead to greater efficiency in water use.
- The project's success will allow for the launch of two business lines: the supply of masterbatch to plastic extrusion companies and the supply of thermosensitive film to farmers.
- ASOCIACIÓN DE ORGANIZACIONES DE PRODUCTORES DE FRUTAS Y HORTALIZAS DE ALMERÍA, COEXPHAL
- ASOCIACIÓN DE ORGANIZACIONES DE PRODUCTORES DE FRUTAS Y HORTALIZAS DE ALMERÍA, COEXPHAL (victoria@coexphal.es)
- FUNDACIÓN GRUPO CAJAMAR (juanjosemagan@fundacioncajamar.com)
- TROPOTHERM (e.rodriguez.c@ib-rodriguez.de)
- SOTRAFA (clopez@sotrafa.com)
- UNICA GROUP (jamunoz@unicagroup.es)
- ASOCIACIÓN DE ORGANIZACIONES DE PRODUCTORES DE FRUTAS Y HORTALIZAS DE ALMERÍA, COEXPHAL
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