QAZAQ GREEN. Fri-El Green House, a company boasting 30 hectares of tomatoes and other vegetables grown using the hydroponic system, has introduced a floating photovoltaic system to power up its greenhouses, reports Fresh Plaza.

"A couple of months ago, we started installing a 3.5 Megawatt floating photovoltaic system in the rainwater reservoirs near our greenhouses. By integrating all the alternative sources of energy we have installed, we aim at being self-sufficient in our 30 hectares by 2026," reports Florian Gostner, CEO of Fri-El Green House in Ostellato (Ferrara).

The floating photovoltaic system will produce energy for the warehouse cooling system, processing lines, greenhouse irrigation pumps and LED lamps used in winter.

As for the current period, sales manager Davide D'Ignoto says that "we are currently producing cucumbers and tomatoes. As for cucumbers, we grow both oblong ones weighing 350-400 grams and snack ones weighing around 40 grams each. When it comes to tomatoes, we grow cocktail, premium bunch and mini-plum ones."

Everything is sold under the H2Orto brand both in Italy and abroad. "We supply various big retail chains in Italy and the main chains in Germany and Austria. Our products are all on high rotation. The abundant and varied offer that the market has presented this year must not be overlooked but, so far, our role has been growing in terms of both prices and volumes," said Davide D'Ignoto.

As for the second part of the year, D'Ignoto reports that "we will face winter with our two greenhouses equipped with led lights to grow bunch, mini plum and cocktail tomatoes. We will definitely carry out a few tests with e.g. eggplants, but we are still deciding."