Vertical farmer Kalera seeks to improve water quality, efficiencies
Ketos Inc., a sustainable water solutions provider, has partnered with Kalera, a hydroponic indoor vertical farming company, to autonomously monitor water quality in real time across all of Kalera’s vertical farming locations.
The Ketos Shield solution will provide Kalera with lab-accurate water quality data to support crop yield and manage nutrient concentration, while creating water reuse efficiencies, according to a news release.
As an enhancement to Kalera’s existing rigorous water quality testing processes, the Milpitas, Calif.-based Ketos will automate water sampling and testing, offering actionable real-time data across Kalera’s network of farms, according to the release. In addition, Kalera will be able to dial in nutrient solutions for its greens and culinary herbs to promote consistent production across all of its farms.
Ketos says it also will enable Kalera to reuse its water more effectively and efficiently, further improving its current water reduction standards.
“Kalera has always conducted robust testing, including regular water sampling and lab tests with a committed focus on water quality because of its direct impact on produce yields, taste, quality and consistency,” Dr. Cristian Toma, co-founder and chief science officer of Kalera, said in a release. “Previously, water sampling and testing were performed manually, limiting the number of tests and the amount of data we could analyze daily or act on based on insights at our fingertips. Ketos will offer us greater breadth and depth, helping us manage this effort with larger efficiency across our network of farms.”
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Offering interoperability benefits, Ketos can be integrated with Kalera’s proprietary HyCubeOS farm operating system to centralize data and maximize operational efficiency.
“We are pleased to work with Kalera, as they are one of the innovative leaders in the vertical farming industry,” said Meena Sankaran, CEO and founder of Ketos. “When it comes to practicing effective vertical farming, it’s integral that growers ensure plants receive the right balance of nutrients. Rather than relying on manual testing and delayed data, Kalera now has access to lab-accurate water quality results in real time.”
Sankaran says access to these results will help Kalera conserve water, improve efficiencies and produce “healthier and more nutritious plants at a lower cost.”
Kalera thinks controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming can play an important role in securing access to fresh produce for a growing world population facing climate change and concerns about the future of traditional farming.
Through proprietary technology, Kalera sustainably grows local, nutrient-rich, pesticide-free, non-GMO leafy greens year-round. Its automated, data-driven, hydroponic vertical farms produce higher yields and use 95% less water and 99% less land than traditional farming, according to the Orlando, Fla.-based company.
Ketos says its real-time monitoring and understanding of water, both quantitatively and qualitatively, helps address both water efficiency — leak-detection and usage — and water quality and safety, ultimately increasing water availability.
