The Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector is a global leader in the field of digitization. Each greenhouse contains sensors that generate data about important greenhouse parameters, such as temperature, humidity and light intensity. This data can be used to optimize crop growth, energy use and yield.

That is why the use of data is an important theme for Hortivation. For example, Hortivation and TNO worked together on the development of new techniques and revenue models. Companies that participate in Hortivation's innovation programs share knowledge. They use this to develop products that further improve the performance of the greenhouse and crop.

Standard communication protocol LED lighting

The need for a standard protocol for controlling LED lamps is great for all parties involved, e.g. climate computer suppliers, lamp suppliers and growers. Working with many different protocols results in an increase in implementation costs and also entails additional support and management questions. A uniform communication protocol for controlling LED lamps simplifies implementation and provides growers and other parties involved with considerable time and cost savings, as well as certainty that the lamps are controlled properly.

The Horti Lighting Protocol can be downloaded below:

• HLP v1.0.3

 

Hortivation Hub

Data infrastructuur

The exchange of data between parties and systems is an important enabler for innovation programs. That is why Hortivation is developing a “data roundabout”: the Hortivation Hub. This hub facilitates data traffic between connected parties and systems.

An example of this data traffic is the exchange of information about the greenhouse design between CASTA and SIOM. But external systems and platforms can also be linked, so that each party has access to numerous other parties and systems with one link.

To understand and use each other's data, a common language is used: the Common Greenhouse Ontology (CGO). By translating data to this CGO - by means of connectors - the receiving party can receive the data and easily read it into its own applications.

Possibilities

Thanks to the innovation programs and common data infrastructure, promising opportunities arise. For example, TNO is working on the Kas Informatie Systeem (KIS): a 'greenhouse file' for information about a greenhouse, so that parties can work together on the basis of the same source data. The GeoKas-database can also be connected. This is a database with edited and enriched public data on climate, energy and soil conditions: this information can be retrieved at the touch of a button. TNO develops tools for analyzing and combining this data. For example, a greenhouse builder can easily determine to what extent an area, anywhere in the world, is suitable for building a greenhouse.

Flyer innovatieprogramma's

Want to know more?

Please contact Harmen van Dam - Program managerharmen.van.dam@hortivation.nl

Business representatives about the Hortivation hub

““The Hortivation Hub unlocks new services, makes the chain more efficient, standardizes work, and prevents failure costs”
Andreas Hofland, Hortikey

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“Everyone thinks that data is very important. But if you don't know what to do with it, it's worthless. By developing supporting data mining tools, we are now able to make data more accessible.”
Martin Steentjes, Van der Hoeven Horticulture projects

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“The greenhouse system is complex and only becomes autonomous if data is properly accessed and applied in an integrated way.”
Theo Sanders, Alcomij