Background
Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australia's horticulture industry.
Our role is to advance Australia’s $16 billion horticulture industry by investing in research and development, marketing and trade to build a prosperous and sustainable future for growers.
We partner with Australian and international co-investors including government, leading science, technology, and consumer strategy experts to anticipate future challenges and opportunities. Our role is to capture value from the investments we make to benefit all levy payers.
Challenge
Hort Innovation invite innovators, problem solvers, and innovative organizations to join us in addressing a pressing challenge faced by Australian growers to create stable and sustainable energy.
Energy is a crucial factor in the horticulture industry, significantly impacting both greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and production costs. If not sourced sustainably, energy use can contribute heavily to environmental degradation while also posing financial challenges for growers.
Many growers are transitioning to renewable energy sources for their operations. However, these sources can be inconsistent, with periods of high energy production followed by times of low output, leading to reliability challenges. Addressing this challenge requires innovative solutions that enhance energy stability and efficiency, to meet the baseload requirements.
We are seeking an innovative solution that holistically addresses energy generation, transmission, management, and consumption for individual grower or groups of growers.
The goal is to create a more resilient and sustainable energy framework for the horticulture industry, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
What's in it for you?
This is a global challenge, and Hort Innovation is willing to collaborate with innovative companies, researchers, universities, and technical solution providers. A successful collaboration could mean funding for the solution through the Hort-Frontier co-investment mechanism.