US vertical farming company Kalera is now using an autonomous water monitoring solution from KETOS Inc to measure water quality in real-time across all of its vertical farming locations. KETOS SHIELD will be used across Kalera’s vertical farming operations to provide the firm with lab-accurate water quality data to support crop yield, managing nutrient concentration while being efficient with water reuse.
As an enhancement to Kalera’s existing rigorous water quality testing processes, KETOS will automate water sampling and testing, offering actionable real-time data across Kalera’s network of farms. In addition, Kalera will be able to dial in nutrient solutions so that high-quality, nutritious greens and culinary herbs are consistently produced across all of its farms.
As the western US faces a chronic water shortage KETOS will also enable Kalera to reuse its water more effectively and efficiently, further improving its already impressive 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,” said Dr. Cristian Toma, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Kalera. “Previously, water sampling and testing were performed manually, limiting the number of tests and the amount of data we could analyse 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.”
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 & Founder of KETOS. “When it comes to practicing effective vertical farming, it is 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, which will help its brilliant operators conserve water, be efficient with their time while producing healthier and more nutritious plants at a lower cost.”
As a leader in controlled environment agriculture, Kalera is driven by the belief that 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, delicious, nutrient-rich, pesticide-free, non-GMO leafy greens year-round. The company’s automated, data-driven, hydroponic vertical farms produce higher yields and use 95% less water, and 99% less land than traditional farming.
