A pioneering new group of researchers, growers and manufacturers aims to improve food production in the UK by unlocking the potential of greenhouses. The Greenhouse Innovation Consortium (GIC), spearheaded by Dr Sven Batke, Reader in Plant Science at Edge Hill University, was launched to address critical challenges facing the UK greenhouse industry.
The collaboration – with Pilkington UK (a member of NSG Group), Philips, FlavourFresh, CambridgeHOK and GlassFutures – will accelerate innovation and propel the industry forward by fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Dr Batke, GIC founder and chairperson: "The UK greenhouse industry possesses immense potential to play a leading role in sustainable food production. However, navigating complex challenges requires collective action and innovative solutions.
"The GIC brings together the collective expertise and resources of leading players across the industry to create a collaborative ecosystem that fosters innovation and drives positive change.
"In the UK, we are still heavily reliant on food imports from abroad. For example, 80% of fruit and over half of vegetables are being imported. This reliance has made the UK very vulnerable."
The consortium has versatile goals. "We aim to utilise, develop, and test cutting-edge technologies to enhance crop quality, yield, and resilience; to help growers improve resource use and develop more sustainable practices, and to provide scientific evidence on new materials and practices that can help businesses to derisk", they explain. "We also provide training and networking opportunities to enable knowledge transfer and innovation, and support growers to become more competitive and resilient to fluctuating markets. Finally, we build capacity in the greenhouse manufacturing sector by leading grower-informed product development."
The GIC's diverse membership proves the consortium's commitment to a holistic approach, encompassing all aspects of the greenhouse industry. By leveraging individual strengths and fostering collaborative research and development, the GIC aims to deliver tangible benefits for its members and the wider UK horticultural sector.
Dr Anna Colley from Pilkington UK said they recently launched Pilkington BotanicalTM, a dedicated greenhouses glass range, that has been designed to help growers to optimize the light growing environment in their greenhouses. "By partnering up with GIC members we can run more commercially realistic trials and develop more customer-focused products."
The UK greenhouse market is relatively small compared to other countries in Europe.
Noel O'Leary from CambridgeHOK added: "The UK industry has always been at the forefront of innovation, while dwarfed by the Netherlands, and the associated efficiencies this drives, innovation such as this, helps to level the playing field. It's great to see the UK once again driving global innovations."
Estimates from the GIC suggest that 70% of greenhouses in the UK are over 40 years old. Greenhouses, compared to outside growing, can provide all-year-round food. However, the sector in the UK has had very little investment and growth.
"As a business, it has been challenging in the past few years," David Barker from FlavourFresh said. "Spiking energy prices and Brexit, as well as skilled staff shortages, have made businesses like ours vulnerable. We joined the GIC as we believe that only through innovation can we build capacity and resilience."
The GIC has developed several strategies to work on joint ventures over the coming years, including the recent testing of new glass coating technologies designed at Edge Hill University's Ormskirk campus.
Dr Batke added: "It's an exciting and important time for the UK greenhouse industry, and we are excited to support local businesses and train the next generation of plant scientists that can positively affect the industry."
Source: edgehill.ac.uk