RegEnergy

Imagine a greenhouse the size of 20 football fields that can grow tasty tomatoes all year round. In Frövi, Sweden, a 100,000 m² greenhouse will do just that.

In just one square meter in this greenhouse, two seeds are planted. They grow into 4 plants and when ready for harvest, they produce 80 kg of tomatoes. This means that the greenhouse produces 200-300 tons of tomatoes per week - equivalent to 8,000,000 kg of tomatoes per year.

A pioneering project

In Sweden, there is currently a mismatch between supply and demand for tomatoes. In the summer, when the sun is shining, the shelves are overflowing with Swedish tomatoes. But when the summer disappears, so do the local tomatoes and imported tomatoes take over.

The RegEnergy project in Frövi is changing this picture. With its ideal greenhouse conditions, they can grow tomatoes whatever the season. With 8000 tons of tomatoes produced per year, the greenhouse will be able to supply tomatoes equivalent to about 1/10 of Sweden's total consumption.

Tomato cultivation in Frövi is a well-planned 12-month cycle. The seeds are purchased from a Finnish plant breeder and grown for 6 weeks before being moved into the greenhouses.

Here they grow quickly - 15-30 cm per week - and produce 3 new leaves and a new bunch of tomatoes every week. They grow to a height of 5 meters, guided by ropes from the ceiling. When the plant reaches the ceiling, the tomatoes are moved to the side, cluster by cluster, so the plant can continue to grow - now only sideways. When the plant has 8 bunches, it is ready for harvest.

You might be tempted to think that growing tomatoes is simply planting a tomato and waiting for it to be harvested. However, this is far from the case. It requires enormous preparation and once the first tomatoes are ready to harvest, there is a 40-week period where tomatoes can be harvested weekly.

This wouldn't be possible without the skilled growers who carefully ensure that the plants have the optimal conditions to thrive. You can see and read much more about the important task of a grower in the greenhouse via this link.

Growing tomatoes locally is not only good for the climate but also saves thousands of kilometers of transportation. It also produces better tomatoes. The longer tomatoes are allowed to stay on the plant, the more sugar builds up. Tomatoes for long transportation have to be harvested early, which means they lose some of their flavor.

Tomatoes from Frövi can be enjoyed by consumers within 24 hours of harvest. They are fully ripe, full of flavor, and ready to become a delicious meal.

The project in Frövi is an innovative step for tomato production in Sweden, giving Swedes access to fresh, local, and tasty tomatoes all year round.

Watch all videos here:

• Video 1: From Dutch greenhouses to Swedish tomatoes: How FoodVentures is changing agriculture
• Video 2: From farm to plate - How greenhouse farming could be the future of food production
• Video 4: The important greenhouse mission of bumblebees

Selected RegEnergy fund

By 2030, it is estimated that up to 53% of Europe's energy consumption will be lost in the form of excess heat (https://www.whyenergyefficiency.com/solutions/allsolutions/the-worlds-largest-untapped-energy-source-excess-heat). In addition, water shortages and drought are a growing problem in several of the countries where tomatoes, for example, are currently produced. It therefore makes sense to move production closer to the consumer.

The project in Frövi is just the first project in the Selected RegEnergy fund. The fund's ambition is to establish several projects, including greenhouses, where waste products from industrial production are used for sustainable food and biomaterial production.

An investment in the Selected RegEnergy fund is a long-term investment where you as an investor can look forward to an average annual return of over 15%.