ClearVue enters “smart greenhouse” agriculture alliance

Smart building materials company, ClearVue Technologies has entered a three-way collaboration aiming to develop “smart greenhouses” for the agriculture industry by combining its patented solar window glass technology used to generate electricity in glass panels, with machine learning and artificial intelligence management and control systems. The venture will see ClearVue team up with artificial intelligence analytics outfit, Foresense Technologies and data-powered farming specialist, Produsense. Under the agreement, the collaborators aim to sink their teeth into a trial project within a year to demonstrate their relevant technical expertise on a conventional greenhouse. Should results from the trial bear fruit, the trio will seek to enter a joint venture agreement and combine their knowledge, skills, intellectual property and marketing efforts to create one product offering, a smart greenhouse that can generate power via its windows, for the protected cropping agriculture industry in Australia and around the world. Foresense, a software and hardware development company, specialises in real-time presence analytics using its proprietary hardware, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Produsense, an entity partly owned by Foresense, brings to the table a know-how in data-powered farming aimed at reducing food waste and increasing shelf life, crop yields and food safety. Its operational expertise takes in production, cold storage, transport and delivery of produce, according to ClearVue. Produsense already boasts vast networks in the global agriculture and protected cropping industries, including in wide acre farming and produce logistics, distribution and retailing. Produsense Chief Executive Officer, Adam Leslie said: “Global food production is already heading towards a connectivity-fuelled transformation – with improved data, increased crop yields are an expected given and that is where the Produsense and Foresense technologies come into play: data-driven growing with a goal of 95% accuracy with smart technologies and clever data science. ClearVue’s solar PV glazing offering when combined with these benefits makes perfect sense – the ClearVue product reduces the energy use within the greenhouse, reduces water needs for the plants and creates an environment with little-to-no need for pesticides. The power generated by the glass is deployed to operate our smart control systems and operational control mechanisms of the greenhouse.” ClearVue recently secured a key US agreement for the manufacture, sale and marketing of products using its solar glazing technology in windows and commercial building glass façades. The wide-ranging agreement with leading US glazing and window installation company, Graboyes Commercial Window and Glass Solutions, will initially see Graboyes manufacture and distribute windows and façades for secondary schools and universities in the US. ClearVue says the cooperation with Graboyes allows it to tap into the commercial building market in the greater Philadelphia region in Pennsylvania, whilst acting as a steppingstone for developing its product credentials in the broader US market. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au