How geothermal energy transforms strawberry production in Iceland
Source: VFD.com
At a greenhouse near Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, Ichigo Strawberries is using geothermal power, pure Icelandic water and controlled indoor growing systems to produce premium Japanese strawberries — a crop rarely associated with northern climates. "Here, it is not so much the sun, but what is underground that drives the possibilities of food production and a circular economy," said chief operating officer Kenichi Noda, during a visit to his facility as part of Iceland Innovation Week activities.
The company launched in 2023 after Noda spent months searching for a suitable location in Iceland, attracted by the country's clean water and abundant geothermal energy. Eventually, the team moved into a building that had sat abandoned since 2008, when a systemic financial collapse in Iceland drove the country into a severe recession.
As a result, the facility was repurposed into a high-tech indoor strawberry farm powered by geothermal energy from the nearby power plant serving the Blue Lagoon area. The concept reflects a broader Icelandic approach to industrial clustering around geothermal resources where multiple businesses in a region co-locate to take advantage of underground heat and renewable energy.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
