ALBANY, NY—The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced a new research program to provide $1.5 million in funding for innovative agricultural practices.
The production in New York State of fresh produce, fish and seafood products in controlled environments could experience explosive growth, based on rising energy and fertilizer costs, innovations in greenhouses and energy technologies, concerns over energy security and food safety, and ri sing interest in locally grown food products. This program will fund projects that expand the awareness and use of innovative food production systems by others in the state.
Through this funding opportunity, NYSERDA seeks to encourage innovative local food production systems, such as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Modified Environment Agriculture (MEA) greenhouse technologies, aquaculture, and other farming applications and methods that support a sustainable economy, lead to sound energy management, and can reduce dependence on carbon-based fuels.
CEA is a combination of engineering, plant science, and computer managed greenhouse control technologies. It optimizes plant growing systems, plant quality, and production efficiency. By controlling the plant’s environment, CEA provides secure, healthy and cost effective year-round production of many plants.
MEA includes low tunnel and high tunnel field applications and low tech greenhouses where the plant environment is protected to reduce the impacts of weather extremes, but otherwise offers less than complete control of the plant growing environment. Aquaculture is the production of fish and seafood products in controlled environments.
NYSERDA will fund this innovative agriculture research and development through solicitation PON 1236: Energy Productivity in Innovative Local Food Production Systems. This solicitation seeks proposals from both technology researchers and technology users and proposals can fall under a range of categories, including experimental research, feasibility studies, commercial development, outreach projects and more.
NYSERDA
www.nyserda.org
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