• The technology centre is taking part in this year’s edition of the event, which will be held on 27–28 May at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (Barakaldo, Bizkaia)
• It will be present at the Basque Government’s stand, where it will display a model of its experimental agrovoltaic unit
• It will also moderate an international round-table discussion on the future of regenerative, digital and resilient agriculture

 

NEIKER will once again be taking part in Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech, the leading innovation event for the agri-food industry, which will be held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (Barakaldo, Bizkaia). The technology centre will be showcasing its latest solutions aimed at moving towards a more sustainable, resilient and knowledge-based agricultural model.

 

Agrovoltaics as a catalyst for agricultural innovation

During the fair, NEIKER will be present at the Basque Government’s stand, where it will showcase some of its main lines of research in the agritech sector.

Among these, a highlight will be the presentation of a scale model of its experimental agrovoltaic unit, based on the actual infrastructure located in the centre of Arkaute. This is the largest experimental agrovoltaic installation for arable crops in Spain, designed to analyse, under real-world conditions, the compatibility between agricultural production and photovoltaic energy generation.

The unit occupies a test area of approximately 8,000 m² and is equipped with elevated solar panel support structures that allow for mechanised cultivation within the area. This design makes it possible to study the impact of partial shading, solar radiation and water availability on different arable crops, as well as their effect on agronomic and energy yields.

Agrovoltaics enables us to tackle three major challenges simultaneously: advancing decarbonisation, adapting to climate change and ensuring that energy production does not compete with food production for land use.

This infrastructure is being developed as part of the European AgriPower project and serves as a key experimental environment for evaluating dual-use land models that integrate agricultural production and renewable energy generation. Its aim is to provide scientific evidence to optimise the design of agrovoltaic systems adapted to the climatic and productive conditions of the Atlantic region.

Through this experimental unit, NEIKER is studying the economic viability of agricultural holdings through more efficient use of land and resources.

 

Participation in the international conference

NEIKER’s participation in the conference will also involve hosting a high-level international session.

On Thursday 28 May at 11:00 am, the centre will moderate the round table discussion “Reinventing Agriculture for the Next Generation: Regenerative, Digital, Resilient”, which will take place in the AZTI Auditorium.

The session will address how agriculture is evolving to secure its future through generational renewal, sustainability and innovation. In this context, it will analyse the role of regenerative agriculture, alongside digital tools such as precision farming, artificial intelligence and climate-smart practices, in building more resilient and profitable agricultural systems.

The panel will feature key players from the international agri-food ecosystem, including EIT Food, PepsiCo, the Ministry of Agriculture and a start-up from La Vega Innova.

 

Commitment to the future of the agri-food sector

NEIKER’s participation in this latest edition of Food 4 Future reinforces its commitment to transforming the agri-food sector through science, technology and collaboration.

Against a backdrop of climate change, digitalisation and the need to attract new generations to the sector, the centre continues to develop innovative solutions that help build a more sustainable, competitive and future-proof food system.