SunAgri Company SunAgri Israel won a €4 million grant on behalf of the European Innovation Fund in early 2024 to build an agricultural power plant of around 300 dunams on top of agricultural crops, and plans to leverage its results. We are planning to make an announcement. New research conducted at the agricultural power generation facility of parent company Saint-Agri in France at an international conference in the field of agricultural power generation. The conference is organized by the Miguel Institute and will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at Kimron Hall in Emek Hamayanot. Agricultural power generation facility for wine vineyards (Credit: Sun Agri)
Sun’Agri France is a technology company in the field of dynamic agricultural power generation, dual use of land, i.e. the combined production of green electricity and agricultural cultivation, and is developing the results of commercial research that began in 2018 and will continue until the end of 2023. It’s clear. Three types of wine grapes are grown at Domaine de Nidelaire, a vineyard in the city of Tresserre in southern France. Approximately 17,300 wine grapes are planted on an area of 40 dunams.
The 4-meter-tall, 3.5-megawatt agricultural power plant was installed above the vineyard using a microclimate control system to overcome climate threats such as rapidly rising temperatures. In southern France, summer temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius, causing crop losses and premature ripening of wine grapes. In extreme cases, increased temperatures can halt the photosynthesis process and prevent the production of fruit color and flavor compounds.
Research results show that the yield of wine grape varieties has increased. At a grape yield of 990 kg per acre, there was a 45% increase in Grenache Blanc compared to 680 kg in the control group, and at 600 kg per acre, a 25% increase in the Marselan variety. acres (compared to 480 kg in the control group) and 10% in the Chardonnay variety (435 kg compared to 390 kg in the control group). In addition to this, the company claims that the quality of the fruit and the quality of the wine produced from these varieties has also improved. Agricultural power generation facility for wine vineyards (Credit: Sun Agri)
The company explained that according to the research results, there was a decrease of 4 degrees Celsius under the panels during the heat load, and the temperature on the surface of the vines decreased by 22.8 degrees Celsius. Acid and sugar balance. In addition, the shading provided by the panels reduced water evaporation from the soil and plants, resulting in approximately 35% irrigation savings.
Cecile Magherini, CEO of Sun’Agri France, said: “We are pleased with the latest research results that confirm the benefits of the field of agro-power generation in the cultivation of wine grapes. Our technology allows us to optimize agricultural production and increase productivity.”Grape quality . ”
Bar Weiss, CEO of Sun Agri Israel, added: “Our experience is based on 15 years of research and 24 related projects on a variety of crops, especially those under climate pressure. The climate in Israel is more extreme than that in France, so we are confident that our success in France will translate to a greater degree in Israel.”
