AQUA4D

AQUA4D – a game-changing technology for optimized water efficiency

Country of development/application:

Switzerland

Scope of innovation

☐ Office work

☒ Production / Service supply process

4. Sector-specific

☒ Yes / please, specify sector(s): Agriculture

☐ No (relevant for all sectors)

Description of the needs

Switzerland may be Europe’s “Chateau de l’eau” but even here the effects of a warming and unpredictable climate are biting. In some Swiss municipalities there is already an acute risk of water shortages, existentially threatening local agricultural production in the coming years. Reduced snow and glacier melt in many regions of the world make farmers rely on snow melt for irrigation in the summer, but this runs out quickly as well. This triggers an acute shortage of water precisely when it is most urgently needed for irrigation. This poses a massive economic threat especially in communities whose income is significantly based on agriculture, viticulture and the associated tourism. To make matters worse, if the dry agricultural areas are no longer used and irrigated, this would set off negative feedback loops. Evaporation and evapotranspiration – crucial influences on a regional climate remaining moderate – would disappear completely, thus precipitating a downward spiral. AQUA4D® technological solution seeks to solve the problem of local seasonal water shortages, and serve as a blueprint for regions with similar difficulties in Switzerland and globally.

For 20 years, the Swiss company Planet Horizons Technologies SA has been helping growers maximize their production with minimum possible resource use. AQUA4D® technology for precision irrigation allows for better water penetration into soil micropores, improved nutrient uptake, and salinity which can be managed in a sustainable way. This is true Swiss efficiency: fusing nature with technology and empowering growers to get the most out of every drop.

AQUA4D® addresses the most pressing problems facing agriculture: water scarcity and land degradation. A team of experienced agronomists help growers tackle a wide range of water management problems. Soils stay moist for longer, while minerals and fertilizers in irrigation water are better hydrated and dissolved. Growers in 40+ countries achieve the seemingly paradoxical: higher yields with less resources, while solving a range of persistent problems.

The AQUA4D® Shared Value Plan creates opportunities for growers and agribusinesses to incorporate shared value into the heart of their business model. With sustainable contributions such as reducing carbon footprints and improving resource use, these are companies which have a positive impact on society, their value chain, and the wider environment.

Description of the solution

It is clear that water & soil preservation are key to reaching sustainability goals on a global scale. The AQUA4D® team has developed a clean technology allowing irrigation water savings (~30% average), restoring salt-saturated soils, and saving resources – sustainably and without any chemicals. The technology is efficient, operational, scalable worldwide, and is fully complementary to existing irrigation infrastructure and e-monitoring. Supporters of this innovation include the European Union, the Swiss Confederation, the Swiss Climate Foundation, the Solar Impulse Foundation, CleanTech Alps, the Climate Show, and senior agronomists from many countries. AQUA4D® is an integral part of improving the efficiency of irrigation system performances while saving resources and contributing to many of the UN’s SDGs. The team of Planet Horizons Technologies SA has been striving for 15 years to help preserve soil & water on a global scale and is now present in 40+ countries.

Over the years, AQUA4D’s technical team has developed a unique workflow model when kicking off projects. Based on past experience, scientific methods, and the effective implementation of our technology, this ongoing consultancy and technical support makes projects thrive from day one thanks to well-coordinated processes. In doing so, the company helps create lasting shared value for its client’s project and beyond.

Attached seamlessly to irrigation systems, AQUA4D® enables water to penetrate the deep pores of soil – resulting in moister soils for longer. The proprietary Swiss technology treats the water by rearranging the structure of the molecules within, thus reducing its surface tension. How does this affect the soil and the plants? As the water molecule clusters are broken down into smaller components, the water can then infiltrate more easily into the minute pores of the soil. This results in better water retention (the plant can absorb it as and when it needs it, in the right quantities) and less evaporation, meaning less irrigation water is required. The result? Sustainable irrigation and costs savings, as is today being experienced by growers in more than 40 countries.

Customized Technology as a Service for Agriculture 4.0: quantifying and adjusting is integral to maximizing the impacts of the technology. The technical teams of Planet Horizons Technologies SA use the latest monitoring and IoT tools to track on-field developments in real time, then suggest adaptations to increase efficiencies and achieve the best results.

The services of Planet Horizons Technologies SA include:

• Preliminary data and streamlined questionnaires;

• Evaluation and feasibility analysis, followed by technical approval;

• Commercial offer with delivery time and cost;

• Development of measurement protocols and monitoring processes;

• Procurement, delivery and technology implementation;

• Installation guidelines and technical datasheets;

• Monitoring and follow-up;

• Results presentation and analysis;

• Maintenance (if required) after project completion.

AQUA4D® technology brings a fast Return on Investment (ROI) within 6 to 36 months.

Description of the effect

• Water Use Efficiency

With irrigated agriculture responsible for 70% of water withdrawals, increased efficiency here would go a long way to a more sustainable future while saving costs for growers. Due to the AQUA4D® effect on water molecules, soil stays moist for longer, bringing growers average water savings of 25-30% – or more when combined with other Ag 4.0 technologies. The disruptive innovation entails a new paradigm of sustainable water management, decreasing resource input while simultaneously increasing yield output.

• Soil Salinity Management

AQUA4D® technology has a strong track record of solving soil salinity and regenerating lands, thanks to water-smart treatment which alters the behaviour of minerals in irrigation water. With salts leached below the root zone and no longer crystallizing on the surface, soil health is dramatically improved and plants can flourish to their full potential. AQUA4D® is stated to be the only technology on the market for managing salinity while using less water in the process. It enables continued irrigation with saline water without requiring energy-intensive desalination processes, chemicals or water-intensive flushing.

• Saline Water Irrigation

AQUA4D® efficiently dissolves any minerals in irrigation water, with salts leached below the rhizosphere. This makes it an all-in-one solution for dealing with salts in the water and in the soil. The water-smart treatment subtly alters the minerals in irrigation water – salt is leached below the root zone and no longer crystallizes on the surface, thus improving both soil and plant health. This allows continued irrigation with poor quality or saline water, without resource-intensive desalination or chemicals.

• Clogging Prevention

AQUA4D® has both a preventive and curative influence on limescale and biofilm formation in irrigation networks. Due to the technology’s effect on water molecules and the minerals within, organic matter and limescale no longer adhere to surfaces and existing deposits are gradually eliminated. The result is free-flowing pipes and drippers, and longer-lasting and better performing water systems.

• Fertilizer Efficiency

AQUA4D is supremely effective at dissolving minerals and fertilizers in irrigation water. Plants can then more effectively absorb what they need, resulting in healthier plants, less fertilizers being applied and a sustainable approach to agriculture. With less chemicals ending up in the water cycle and the soil, this drives company’s mission for resource efficiency and the regeneration of lands through more efficient water treatment.

• Increasing Productivity

– Outcome 1: Saving water through precision irrigation

AQUA4D® promotes water penetration into soil micropores and improves water retention in the rhizosphere regardless of soil type. Practical experience has shown that it is possible to save on average 25% irrigation water. Furthermore, with a Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS) concept company’s agronomists work with farmers on strict monitoring protocols to recommend further irrigation reductions. In combination, this can sometimes result in savings of 50% or more.

– Outcome 2: Saving energy and emissions through reduced pumping

While the urgent infrastructure updates are being addressed at a higher level, there is a pressing need to reduce power & water consumption on farms with exponentially rising energy costs. These two are inextricably linked, due to the increased energy required for pumping water ever further. Hence improving water efficiency can in turn drastically reduce power consumption.

Depending on the situation, the baseline energy consumption by a pump is around 900 Wh per 1 m3. With AQUA4D® 25% water savings are generally observed, representing 180 Wh/m3, or an estimated 2880 kWh/ha savings – reducing water bills while conserving a precious resource.

Furthermore, for salinity management, use of AQUA4D® negates the implementation of costly solutions such as reverse osmosis (RO). As average RO energy consumption is at least 2000 Wh per 1 m3 and only 1 Wh with AQUA4D®, this uses 2000x less electricity, or even 3000x less.

– Outcome 3: Saving labor and resources

From a farmer’s perspective, the changes to water management practices brought about by AQUA4D® have a direct impact on their own resources and labor expenditure.

The new Ag 4.0 approach to farm management keeps an eye on their irrigation needs, in many cases reducing the need to physically travel to turn on watering systems. Moreover, due to the leaching effect of AQUA4D®, the water- and labor-intensive washing of soils is required, chemicals no longer need to be applied. At the same time, NPK use can be significantly optimized – simultaneously saving labor and input costs.

Last but not least, the AQUA4D® effect on minerals mean drippers and pipes no longer clog with limescale, biofilm, or corrosion. In the words of a farmer in France, “We needed 6 people to work on the maintenance of the drippers. In the month following AQUA4D® installation, these 6 people could start working on something else instead.” Coupled with reduced maintenance needs, the lifecycle and efficiency of irrigation systems in general is lengthened.

Company/companies that developed/implemented/offer the innovation

Based in Sierre, Switzerland, Planet Horizons Technologies has considerable expertise in the electromagnetic treatment of water. Its technology is used in agriculture (stock rearing and irrigation), dwellings and other buildings, water networks, hospitality and industry.

Date founded: 2004

Directors: Eric Valette

Address: Ecoparc de Daval A9, 3960 Sierre, Switzerland

Telephone: +41 27 480 30 35

Website: https://www.aqua4d.com/

E-mail: info@planethorizons.com

Number of employees: 10

9. Additional information

Animation: How AQUA4D® saves water and keeps soils moist for longer

Study of the impact of AQUA4D on almond trees in the Central Valley, California, USA

Water-Smart Irrigation has Huge Impacts on Salinity in the Central Valley

Optimism for Moroccan Agriculture: Proven Technology Offers Water Savings and Combats Salinity