ClearVue Technologies Ltd (ASX: CPV) and Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies Limited (ASX: ROO) have signed a collaboration agreement that may include the construction of a world-first demonstration greenhouse in Israel.
Under the agreement, the two parties will jointly pursue sales opportunities with new and existing clients, leveraging each other’s industry-leading technologies to offer a unique combined offering within the greenhouse market.
Roots CEO, Sharon Devir said the parties also intend to build a demonstration greenhouse utilising ClearVue’s energy generating PV solar glazing glass panels to explore powering Roots’ Root Zone Temperature Optimisation (RZTO) and Irrigation by Condensation (IBC) technologies.
Mr Devir said ClearVue’s PV clear glass solar glazing solution for greenhouses utilises multi-glazed IGU panels to stabilise the air environment as well as generate enough power to operate Roots’ RZTO technology.
“Roots’ RTZO technology significantly reduces energy requirements by maintaining optimal root temperatures for crops and plants, rather than heating or cooling the air.
“We see substantial opportunities for our greenhouse customers to utilise ClearVue’s solar products to power their RZTO and IBC systems off-grid.
“The collaboration will enable our customers to access a fully integrated, self-sustaining solution that improves crop yield and quality, lowers operational costs and improves profitability for growers
Mr Devir said the self-sustaining greenhouse, which is intended to be off-grid, will be designed, developed and constructed at Roots’ research hub in Israel and will be available to both parties for customer demonstrations and display purposes. Roots will utilise the greenhouse year-round to conduct RZTO and IBC testing on various crops and plants.
Construction on the demonstration greenhouse will commence as soon as possible and is expected to be completed within 12 months.
ClearVue Executive Chairman, Victor Rosenberg said Roots are leaders in providing sustainable agriculture solutions to producers globally.
“Roots are a natural fit with our solar PV energy efficient glazing solution, and we are looking forward to working with them on the greenhouse demonstration and providing further benefits to our agriculture clients.
“An added benefit for ClearVue is that this collaboration represents our first foray into Israel, which we would also seek to leverage as a way to generate interest in our core sales focus area of high-rise architecture.”
In addition to the greenhouse demonstrator, Roots and ClearVue have agreed to work together where possible to deploy Roots’ RTZO technology into all, or a part of, the CRC-P grant supported greenhouse that ClearVue is currently progressing at Murdoch University in Western Australia.