In Almería, Spain, the Baños family optimizes the climate of Efinova's greenhouses with Svensson's Climate Solutions

AUGUST 2024

In one corner of the vast “Sea of Plastic” that covers Almería, Spain — one of Europe’s leading horticultural regions — stand the greenhouses of the Baños family. For more than two decades, they have shown how technology and innovation can transform greenhouse production and drive better crop results.

Svensson’s relationship with the Baños family began over 20 years ago, when they upgraded from a traditional greenhouse to a multi-tunnel structure that allowed them to adopt new tools for climate and pest control. In 2002, they installed the XLS 14 screen, later replacing it in 2019 with the Harmony 3845 screen — making them one of the pioneering families using Svensson Climate Screens in Almería.

A few months ago, Nelson Pérez, Climate Consultant and Svensson’s representative in Spain, visited Daniel Baños at Efinova, together with Climate Consultants Alejandro Medina and Héctor Parra from Mexico. Their goal was to understand the progress achieved at Efinova through the use of Svensson’s climate solutions.

Temperature and radiation control with Harmony 3845

One of the key challenges Daniel faced at Efinova was maintaining the correct temperature, particularly the minimum temperature reached at night. Achieving this required better control over radiation and the climate inside the greenhouse.

“The advantage of having the Harmony 3845 screen is that it allows you to make efficient use of radiation. Because the screen is retractable and can be automated, you can give the crop shade or light exactly when it needs it,” explains Daniel Baños.

A common method for radiation control in the region is whitewashing the greenhouse plastic. However, as Daniel notes, whitewash is less practical. It must be applied manually, removed later, and cannot adjust automatically on cloudy or low-light days.

“That’s one of the main advantages we’ve observed with the Harmony 3845 screen. And by extending the screen at night, we gain a few extra degrees after the greenhouse has stored maximum energy,” he adds.

Innovation and climate control at Efinova

In addition to Harmony 3845, Daniel also installed the Xsect Balance Max insect control net. For him, pest management is a critical component of a balanced greenhouse climate.

“The net is a very technical, well-designed product that offers better protection. Since we started using Svensson’s net, the incidence of pests has been considerably lower,” says Daniel.

Daniel emphasises that when the plant receives the correct climate variables, the result is a well-balanced crop. With more tools to adjust environmental conditions, growers gain greater control over plant behaviour — resulting in more flowers, larger leaves and better fruit set.

“In the end, that’s what it’s about: having tools. When you have a greenhouse without tools, you can only plant, whitewash and do little else — you don’t have room to manoeuvre. With automated tools, you have much more flexibility,” Daniel explains.

A long-term partnership and a vision for the future of agriculture

Reflecting on the family’s long relationship with Svensson, Daniel highlighted the importance of technical support and shared knowledge. Over the years, Svensson and Nelson Pérez have provided guidance, introduced them to new technologies and encouraged innovation across generations of growers.

Before the visit concluded, Daniel offered a message to growers across the region:

“Dare to step out of the conventional. Our industry has existed for many years, but that doesn’t mean everything has already been done. The climate changes, and data shows that. With information, you can make better decisions. Having data and sensors allows you to make decisions based on information, and that becomes profitability.”

We invite you to read the next article to learn more about the Baños family — pioneers for over 20 years in adopting technologies that are now becoming standard across Almería. We thank them for their trust in Svensson and look forward to continuing this collaboration in the future.