Key Takeaways
- RMIT University has launched the ARC Research Hub for Intelligent Energy Efficiency in Future Protected Cropping (E2Crop Hub).
- The five-year initiative includes researchers from three partner universities and 12 industry collaborators.
- The Hub is supported by $25 million in total funding, including $5 million from the Australian Research Council.
- Research focuses on renewable energy, plant optimisation, and intelligent cropping systems.
- The goal is to develop energy-efficient, intelligent greenhouse solutions to support the future of protected cropping in Australia.
RMIT University Announces New ARC-Supported Research Hub
RMIT University has launched the E2Crop Hub, a major research initiative aimed at advancing sustainable protected cropping through intelligent and energy-efficient greenhouse technologies. Supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC), the Hub focuses on developing next-generation solutions in renewable energy, plant performance, and automated monitoring for controlled-environment agriculture.
Led by RMIT University, the Hub brings together researchers from The Australian National University, Western Sydney University, and The University of New South Wales, forming a national consortium dedicated to transforming greenhouse production systems.
Industry Collaboration to Develop Energy-Smart Greenhouse Innovation
Over the next five years, the E2Crop Hub will collaborate with 12 industry partners to design and deploy technologies that enable greenhouses to become self-sustaining, cost-effective, and powered by renewable energy. The Hub will also work on advanced decision-making tools to help growers operate more efficiently.
