On his highly interconnected farm, Geneva vegetable grower Jeremy Blondin is now growing hydroponic lettuces alongside his tomatoes. "We give the lettuces exactly what they need to drink and eat – every drop of water and every nutrient is precisely dosed so that nothing is wasted. In addition, the roots benefit from an optimal oxygen supply, which allows them to develop much better," he tells lid. And aeroponics is already delivering promising results: The lettuces produced are voluminous, firm and have a nice texture. They are also completely clean: "Since they have no contact with the soil, there is no soil or other residue – the lettuces are ready to eat after a simple rinse," emphasises Jeremy Blondin (pictured below). This is an important advantage for consumers.
The biggest challenge is the tough price competition. "Today, aeroponic salads cost a little more to produce than conventional salads, and it's almost impossible to monetise them in today's market. So we need to find ways to reduce our production costs." The high energy consumption is a weak point, but solutions are being worked on, such as PV on the greenhouses and possibly also waste heat from the surrounding industrial plants. Despite the high costs, Blondin is convinced of the potential of aeroponics: "We have to produce more and better with less – less water, less agricultural land, less input. Aeroponics makes it possible to optimise every square metre while also protecting the environment."
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