Articles tagged with "sustainable-farming"
Naware’s chemical-free weed killer tech could change how we treat lawns
Naware, founded by Mark Boysen, has developed a chemical-free weed killer technology that uses steam vapor to eliminate weeds in lawns, athletic fields, and golf courses. After experimenting with various methods—including lasers and cryogenics—Boysen settled on steam as a safe and effective solution. The system employs computer vision powered by Nvidia GPUs to identify weeds in real-time, addressing the challenging “green-on-green” detection problem. This technology can be mounted on mowers, tractors, or ATVs, offering a scalable and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical herbicides. Naware aims to target commercial lawn care companies, promising significant cost savings by reducing chemical purchases and labor associated with spraying. The startup has conducted paid pilots and is in discussions with major equipment manufacturers, though specific partners remain undisclosed. Boysen emphasizes that success hinges on securing strategic partnerships, patents, and funding. Currently bootstrapped, Naware plans to launch a substantial fundraising round soon to accelerate growth and fulfill its promise of effective, chemical
robotIoTartificial-intelligencecomputer-visionagriculture-technologysustainable-farmingweed-control-technologyDrones, Diesel, & Policy: Two Countries, Two Agricultural Futures - CleanTechnica
The article contrasts the divergent agricultural futures of China and the United States through their adoption of drone technology. China has rapidly integrated agricultural drones, with about one-third of its cropland receiving at least one drone operation per season. This widespread use is driven by China's unique farm structure—small, scattered plots often on terraces or irregular land that large tractors cannot efficiently service. Drones offer a cost-effective, low-barrier mechanization method that avoids soil compaction, reduces labor, and limits operator chemical exposure. Supported by local governments, drone use in China has replaced significant diesel consumption—cutting nearly 10% of agricultural diesel use on drone-adopted lands—and improved crop protection efficiency. In contrast, the U.S. agricultural system relies heavily on large, diesel-powered tractors and sprayers operating on large, accessible fields. Drones in the U.S. serve as incremental tools rather than primary mechanization, and a proposed ban on widely used Chinese-made DJI spray drones, citing national security concerns, threatens
dronesagriculture-technologyenergy-efficiencydiesel-reductionChina-agricultureIoT-in-farmingsustainable-farmingBlue State Steps Up To Save Farmers With Solar Power
The article highlights New Jersey's pioneering "Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program," a three-year initiative designed to support farmers by integrating solar power generation with traditional farming practices. This program aims to provide farmers with a new revenue stream while allowing them to continue cultivating their land, addressing challenges faced by US farmers amid ongoing economic pressures. The pilot focuses on agrivoltaics—also known as dual-use solar—which combines solar energy production with agricultural activities to maximize land use efficiency. Agrivoltaics encompasses various approaches, including habitat restoration that benefits pollinators, solar grazing where livestock such as sheep manage vegetation under solar panels, and growing crops beneath solar arrays. These methods not only reduce costs for solar developers but also improve soil health and livestock quality. However, widespread adoption requires more evidence demonstrating that combining solar and farming yields greater overall value than separating these uses. This is especially critical in New Jersey, where farm sizes are small and shrinking, making efficient land use essential. The New Jersey pilot program, administered
energysolar-poweragrivoltaicsdual-use-solarsustainable-farmingrenewable-energysolar-grazingWith Agrivoltaics, China Is Crushing Trump's Fossil Fuel Dreams
The article highlights China’s advancements in agrivoltaics—a system combining solar panels with agricultural activities—as a significant challenge to the fossil fuel ambitions championed by former US President Donald Trump. Chinese solar firm GCL is pioneering this approach by integrating farming with solar energy production on the same land, improving land use efficiency and sustainability. Unlike earlier solar installations that covered land with gravel or sand, agrivoltaics promotes soil health, water conservation, and crop growth under partial shade, making previously unproductive or marginal lands viable for farming and energy generation simultaneously. This approach also offers economic benefits, especially for farmers facing financial hardships, by providing additional income through solar leases. GCL has developed a suite of four key technologies to enhance agrivoltaic efficiency: bifacial solar panels that capture sunlight from both sides and can be installed vertically; tunable panels allowing adjustable light transmission to crops; elevated racks with tracking systems to optimize sunlight capture while accommodating farming activities; and advanced AI-driven system management that integrates weather data
energyrenewable-energysolar-poweragrivoltaicssustainable-farmingbifacial-solar-panelsland-use-efficiencyAquawise will show off its AI-driven water quality tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Aquawise, a Bangkok-based startup founded in 2024, is developing an AI-driven platform to monitor water quality in aquaculture farms, particularly targeting regions like Southeast Asia where traditional monitoring methods are prohibitively expensive. Using satellite imagery combined with a physics-based AI model, Aquawise continuously tracks critical water parameters such as temperature, chlorophyll levels, and oxygen content, offering real-time monitoring and predictive insights. This approach contrasts with conventional methods that typically provide only daily or weekly data. The founders—Patipond Tiyapunjanit, Chanati Jantrachotechatchawan, and Kobchai Duangrattanalert—originated the idea from a research project on shrimp larvae and identified water quality as a major challenge causing nearly $30 billion in losses annually for aquaculture farms. The startup emphasizes affordability and accessibility for farmers in developing regions, where many currently rely on manual checks and weather reports due to the high cost of existing technologies. Aquawise initially explored sonar-based monitoring but
IoTAIwater-quality-monitoringaquaculture-technologyenvironmental-sensorssatellite-imagingsustainable-farmingHyundai Motor & Kia Expand Use of Wearable Robot in Agriculture with Korea’s Rural Development Administration - CleanTechnica
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have partnered with Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) to introduce the wearable robot X-ble Shoulder into agricultural settings across Korea. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 23 at Hyundai’s Uiwang R&D Center, aims to enhance farmers’ health and safety while improving operational efficiency. The X-ble Shoulder, developed by Hyundai and Kia’s Robotics LAB, is designed to reduce shoulder joint load during physically demanding tasks, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Field tests conducted earlier in 2023, using electromyography (EMG) sensors, demonstrated that the X-ble Shoulder reduced shoulder muscle activation by approximately 22%, validating its effectiveness in alleviating physical strain for farmers. Moving forward, Hyundai, Kia, and the RDA plan to expand testing, promote the technology’s adoption, and tailor the wearable robot for agricultural use. The RDA will also support usability assessments, identify demand, connect with relevant institutions,
robotwearable-technologyagricultureHyundai-MotorKiaroboticssustainable-farmingLittle Electric Tractor Supports Better Crop Yields, Runs On Solar Power - CleanTechnica
The article discusses an initiative by the Malawian-UK NGO Tiyeni to improve crop yields in Malawi through climate-smart agriculture, specifically a technique called Deep Bed Farming (DBF). This method involves breaking up a compacted soil layer known as "hardpan," which restricts root growth, water infiltration, and air penetration, thereby limiting crop productivity. By disrupting this hardpan layer, farmers can more than double their crop yields in the first year. Traditionally, breaking the hardpan is labor-intensive, requiring manual hoeing. To ease this process, a small electric tractor powered by solar energy has been introduced and tested in Malawi. This tractor, which functions similarly to a rototiller, can break up the hardpan with significantly less physical effort than manual labor. The electric tractor is charged using solar panels connected to a nearby microgrid, leveraging Malawi’s abundant sunlight. This approach is more economical and environmentally friendly compared to diesel-powered machinery, as Malawi imports all its petroleum products, which are
electric-tractorsolar-powerrenewable-energyagriculture-technologysustainable-farmingenergy-efficiencyclimate-smart-agricultureSolar electric sheep marry Australian farmers with clean energy
The article highlights the innovative practice of combining agriculture, specifically sheep grazing, with solar electricity generation—a concept known as agrivoltaics or “solar electric sheep.” This approach is exemplified by the 149-megawatt Glenrowan West solar farm in Australia, operated by Gayle and Tom Lee, which integrates livestock grazing with renewable energy production on the same land. This dual land use, already established in Europe, Japan, and parts of the United States, offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution that maintains vegetation under and around solar panels, improving soil health and reducing maintenance costs for solar companies. Australian pioneers like Ben Wynn of Wynergy are also exploring cattle-plus-solar models, though successful implementation requires careful solar farm design to accommodate animals. Researchers such as Eric Nordberg emphasize the mutual benefits for farmers and solar companies: farmers retain grazing land without selling it to energy firms, while companies gain free vegetation management. Despite limited local data in Australia, international examples show positive outcomes, including reduced
energysolar-poweragrivoltaicsrenewable-energysolar-grazingagriculturesustainable-farmingElectric Tractor Cost Can Be Reduced By Tens of Thousands With California Program - CleanTechnica
The article highlights California’s California Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), a multi-million-dollar state program designed to subsidize the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment, including electric tractors. Unlike many incentive programs, CORE does not require scrappage of old equipment and targets small businesses, agribusinesses, public agencies, and other entities operating zero-emission machinery, with additional incentives for low-income and disadvantaged communities. Monarch Tractor, a leading manufacturer of electric agricultural machinery, including the MK-V and MK-V Dairy models, qualifies for CORE vouchers, which can reduce the retail price by up to 67%, making electric tractors competitively priced with diesel counterparts. Monarch’s electric tractors offer significant operational savings and environmental benefits. For example, California farms using the MK-V have reported annual fuel cost savings of $10,000 to $12,000 and carbon emission reductions of 33 to 50 tons per year, equivalent to removing several gas-powered vehicles from the road. Additionally
energyelectric-tractorsagriculture-technologyclean-energyrenewable-energyCalifornia-energy-incentivessustainable-farmingHow TRIC Robotics is reducing pesticide use on strawberries using UV light
TRIC Robotics, a startup based in San Luis Obispo, California, is addressing the heavy pesticide reliance in strawberry farming by deploying autonomous robots equipped with UV-C light technology to reduce chemical use. These tractor-sized robots can treat up to 100 acres overnight, using UV-C light to kill bacteria and pests, and vacuums to remove bug residue without damaging crops. Rather than selling the robots directly, TRIC offers them as a service, aligning with farmers’ existing pest control payment models. This approach was developed through close collaboration with farmers to ensure practical adoption. The company was founded by Adam Stager, who pivoted from developing 3D-printed robots for SWAT teams to agriculture in 2020, seeking to make a meaningful impact. Through a USDA program connecting innovators with uncommercialized technology, Stager discovered the UV light application that became central to TRIC’s solution. Starting with small-scale trials on farmers’ land in 2021, the company has since expanded to work
roboticsagriculture-technologyUV-C-lightpest-controlautonomous-robotssustainable-farmingpesticide-reductionTRIC Robotics raises seed funding to help farmers control pests and plant disease - The Robot Report
TRIC Robotics, a company specializing in autonomous pest and plant disease control, has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to scale its robotic solutions for specialty crop farming, beginning with strawberries—a crop known for high labor demands and heavy pesticide use. Their flagship robot, Luna, operates at tractor scale and uses ultraviolet light to destroy pests and pathogens, alongside vacuum technology to remove insects, all without chemicals. This approach aims to reduce pesticide use significantly, with pilot programs reporting up to a 70% reduction, while helping farmers meet sustainability goals and manage labor costs. The company offers its technology as a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model, which includes a data-driven platform featuring vision systems and real-time field analytics to improve farm profitability and produce chemical-free crops. TRIC Robotics has already deployed nine robots, doubling its fleet in the past year, and plans to expand operations into additional California farming regions such as Oxnard and Watsonville. The new funding, led by Version One Ventures and
robotagriculture-roboticsautonomous-robotspest-controlsustainable-farmingrobotics-as-a-serviceprecision-agriculture