Albotherm Awarded £500k Innovate UK Grant to Scale Smart Shade Coating
Albotherm has developed a smart shade coating that is transparent in cold weather but automatically converts to opaque in hot weather to provide on-demand shade, optimising crop growing conditions and reducing solar overheating. In commercial greenhouses, the technology allows crops to benefit from the early morning and evening light, while being protected from the heat of the midday sun, boosting overall light levels by 18% and demonstrating a 34% increase in crop yield compared to standard shading.
The project has received funding from the UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, administered by Innovate UK. The aim is to address the pressing need for sustainable solutions in the horticulture sector by maximising energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Albotherm is partnering with Pilkington to develop a glass coating for new greenhouse construction that can be produced using the glass maker’s large area manufacturing processes. This new product will have a longer lifetime, maximising the environmental benefit of Albotherm’s technology and allow access to a wider market opportunity in industrial glazing.
Molly Allington, CEO of Albotherm: “We are excited to receive the Innovate UK grant and to collaborate with leaders in the UK horticulture industry. We are honoured to have the support of Flavourfresh, Vitacress and Pilkington on this ground-breaking project and we look forward to contributing to a more sustainable future for the horticultural industry.”
Anna Colley, Lead Technologist at Pilkington Technology Management: “We are very much looking forward to working with Albotherm and exploring the potential of combining their smart shade coating with our glass technology as a potential step towards more dynamic systems for combating temperature variations in greenhouses.”
