Siemens brings industrial automation to greenhouses at GreenTech
Source: VFD.com
SIGA, Solution for Industrial Greenhouse Automation, is built on open industrial standards and is designed to help growers manage processes more efficiently, reduce energy use, and future-proof their production environments. "Climate control, lighting, and irrigation are critical in the greenhouse," says Rick Schneiders, Head of Future Food at Siemens.
The company developed a climate controller for greenhouses under the same name in the 1960s, and some large operations are still running that original solution today. The modular structure lets them combine functionalities and add custom elements for specific clients, which accelerates implementation and reduces development costs." © Siemens Tom Visser and Rick Schneiders One platform for all systems SIGA enables machines and components from different suppliers to be integrated within a single central environment, including sensors, actuators, LED lighting, cameras, and access systems, provided they use standard protocols.
Siemens and partners within the Siemens Xcelerator ecosystem have developed smart applications for this purpose, including tools for energy management, AI-driven operational management, water hygiene as a service, and intelligent LED control. Control over operations Many greenhouse operations still rely on separate automation systems with limited interconnectivity, Schneiders notes.
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.
