Introduction:

Encouraging the world’s agriculture industry to produce food while reducing its environmental impact is becoming more and more difficult. Under this situation, integrating wireless power and energy harvesting technology in greenhouses seems like a good idea. This creative solution supports the larger objectives of resource efficiency and sustainability in agriculture while simultaneously meeting the energy requirements of greenhouse operations.

Harvesting Energy in Greenhouses:

Greenhouse activities may continue to be powered by solar energy, which is still a powerful and plentiful source. On greenhouse roofs, photovoltaic panels collect sunlight and transform it into electrical power. Reliance on traditional grid electricity is greatly reduced by using this clean, renewable energy source. During the day, greenhouses produce a significant quantity of thermal energy, which may be collected and used for a number of reasons. An additional energy source is provided by thermoelectric generators, which may turn temperature differences between the greenhouse’s exterior and inside into electricity. Vibrational energy harvesting can be facilitated by the dynamic environment seen in greenhouses, where plant growth and wind-induced motions create opportunities.

Transmission of Power Wirelessly:

• Inductive Power Transfer: Electrical energy may be transferred without the need for physical connections thanks to wireless power transmission technologies like inductive wireless power transfer. In the greenhouse, this technology is especially helpful for powering sensors, actuators, and large or tiny electrical gadgets but more in a coupling format. Using inductive power transmission increases design and layout freedom for greenhouses by doing away with the requirement for wired connections. Induction wireless power solutions operate ay lower frequencies (kHz range). 

• Resonant Inductive Coupling: Over relatively wider distances (inches), effective wireless power transmission is made possible using resonant inductive coupling technology. This is essential for supplying electricity to equipment positioned throughout big greenhouse buildings. Resonance between the coils of the transmitter and receiver improves the efficiency of energy transfer, lowering energy losses and guaranteeing a steady power supply. Aside of the benefits of using resonance (such as high power transfer), the spatial freedom (higher ‘Z’ levels) nalso plays to the advantage of using resonance based solution.This technology could operate at low (kHz) or high (MHz) frequency.
• Long distance wireless charging technology: Other popular or appropriate wireless power technologies mainly using ultra-high frequencies (GhZ) using in such applications mainly sensors, asset trackers, low power devices are based on RF or Ultrasound or even infrared. Aside of having advantages of charging devices wirelessly from distance, they can be used in one-to-many and many-to-one format. With threse one can create a battery-free or batttery-less environment making use rid of tedious battery charging or replacing task.. They do well integrate with energy harvesting, RFID based technologies and arealready p[opular for IoT sensors and other small battery power devices.

The advantages of wireless power and energy harvesting in greenhouses

• Environmental Sustainability: The usage of wireless power and energy harvesting in greenhouses is in line with international initiatives to lower carbon emissions and switch to sustainable farming methods. Greenhouse operations may greatly reduce their environmental effect by using renewable energy sources and reducing their dependency on conventional power systems.

• Financial Savings: Relative to more conventional energy sources, energy collecting technologies – like solar panels and thermoelectric generators – they offer a more affordable and economical option. Once implemented, these systems offer a dependable, long-term solution for greenhouse energy demands at very low operating costs. The installation and maintenance expenses related to traditional wiring are further decreased via wireless power transfer.

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Automation and data collecting capabilities are improved by the greenhouse’s capacity to power sensors and other equipment remotely. Without the limitations of wired connections, wireless sensors for tracking temperature, humidity, soil conditions, and plant health may be positioned strategically. This improves agricultural yields and resource usage by enabling more exact control over environmental conditions.

Obstacles & Things to Think About:

• Initial cost: Although energy harvesting and wireless power in greenhouses have many long-term advantages, some farmers may find it prohibitive to make the initial cost necessary to put these technologies into practice. To offer incentives and support for the adoption of sustainable energy solutions in agriculture, governments and industry stakeholders must work together. This should not be a issues in a longer run once we have few industry-standard based solutions becoming popular and widely adopted, which is where we are heading.

• Technology Integration: Careful planning and consideration of the unique requirements and conditions of each greenhouse are necessary for the integration of wireless power and energy collecting technologies. The viability of deploying these technologies must be evaluated by growers in light of several criteria, including location, climate, and crop type.

• Maintenance and Reliability: To provide continuous greenhouse operations, energy harvesting and wireless power systems must be reliable. Maintaining proper upkeep and observation is necessary to quickly resolve any technical problems. Backup power options should also be set up to lessen the effects of sporadic energy sources, such as solar power on overcast days.

Success Stories and Case Studies:

Energy harvesting and wireless power technologies have been successfully deployed in a number of greenhouse facilities worldwide, demonstrating their viability and beneficial effects on agricultural sustainability. Case examples illustrate the many ways in which producers have incorporated these technology into their operations and the ensuing advantages in terms of crop output, cost savings, and energy efficiency.

Prospective Advancements and Patterns:

• Advanced technologies: Research in materials science is generating more accessible and efficient energy harvesting technologies, such solar cells that are flexible and transparent, at a lower cost. These developments will make the incorporation of energy-collecting technologies into greenhouse buildings more practical and visually appealing.

• Integration of the Internet of Things (IoT): Combining wireless power and IoT technologies is opening up new possibilities for smart greenhouses. Real-time data analytics may be provided by wirelessly powered sensors and actuators with Internet of Things capabilities. This enables precise control over environmental conditions and resource optimization for higher agricultural yields.

• Collaborative Research and Development: To enhance research and development in energy harvesting and wireless power technologies for agriculture, government organizations, academic institutions, and private businesses should work together. Through this partnership, greenhouse farming will be able to implement sustainable techniques more widely while also accelerating innovation and cutting expenses.

Conclusion:

Energy harvesting (including RFID) and wireless power integration in greenhouses represent a significant step forward in achieving sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. By harnessing renewable energy sources and adopting wireless power transmission technologies, growers can enhance operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to the global movement towards a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain. As technology continues to evolve and awareness grows, the adoption of these innovations in greenhouse agriculture is poised to become a mainstream practice, ushering in a new era of greener and smarter farming.

Wired and Wireless Technologies (WAWT), through its comprehensive research data and insights and market intelligence on the wireless power market titled ‘Wireless Power Intelligence Service’, covers various types of wireless power technology solutions using different frequency levels – be it inductive, resonance, NFC, RF, or infrared-based. WAWT monitors the use of different types of wireless power technology solutions developed and adopted by more than 30 different types of application markets across automotive, consumer, computing, wearables, hearables, medical/healthcare, industrial, robotics, retail, infrastructure, and other sectors. WAWT have dedicated coverage of the industrial sector from the wireless power perspective, including industrial applications such as IoT sensors, AGVs, AMRs, robots, drones, slip-rings and with others from agricultural secotors too.