Key Takeaways:
- Intelinair has been selected as a project partner in the USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities grants.
- The initiative aims to promote camelina as a sustainable, non-food crop for renewable biofuels and chemicals.
- Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. was awarded up to $30 million for the pilot project, with Intelinair among 17 partners.
- Intelinair’s AI technology will provide crop production analytics and yield estimation for camelina.
- Camelina is a nutrient-efficient crop, offering ~100 gallons of renewable diesel equivalent per acre without causing land use change.
Intelinair, a leading agritech company specializing in analytics and yield estimation, has partnered with the USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities grants. The collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of camelina as a sustainable feedstock for renewable biofuels and chemicals.
A Collaborative Effort for Sustainability
Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. was awarded up to $30 million for a large-scale pilot project focusing on camelina sativa. Intelinair is one of 17 company and university partners participating in this initiative. The project aims to validate the advantages of camelina as an ultra-low carbon renewable fuel feedstock.
Leveraging Advanced Technology
Kevin Krieg, Director of Business Development and Project Lead at Intelinair expressed enthusiasm about the project. “Our team is working closely with other project partners to utilize our AI technology in making camelina a mainstream crop,” he said. Intelinair’s technology combines remote sensing, computer vision, machine learning, and analytics to create new agronomic best practices for camelina.
The Role of Camelina
According to the USDA, the five-year project aims to “accelerate farmer adoption of camelina as a nonfood crop grown on idle acres to produce more plant-based feedstock for renewable biofuels and chemicals with low carbon intensity and no land use change while increasing carbon capture in the soil.” Camelina is a water and nutrient-efficient crop, ready for harvest within 85 to 100 days from seeding, and can produce approximately 100 gallons of renewable diesel equivalent per acre.
Future Implications
Kevin Monk, Vice President of Ag Technology for Sustainable Oils, Inc., a subsidiary of Global Clean Energy, highlighted the importance of Intelinair’s technology. “Remote sensing and data analytics from Intelinair equip our company to make informed cultivation and commercialization decisions,” he said.
Intelinair aims to contribute significantly to the renewable fuels industry and sustainable agriculture by participating in this USDA grant. The project is expected to have a positive economic impact on farmers while addressing climate change, making it a win-win for all stakeholders involved.
Image provided by Intelinair
1 Comment