The Coupling of Nanotechnology & Luminescent Films to Optimize Greenhouse Quality
“UbiGro films are electricity-free, whereas modifying the light spectrum by LEDs requires electricity.” – Damon Hebert
“UbiGro films are electricity-free, whereas modifying the light spectrum by LEDs requires electricity.” – Damon Hebert
UbiQD develops a new kind of safer, brighter, cost-effective, and more reliable quantum dot. Quantum dots are known for their highly efficient ability to convert one spectrum of light into another.
2022 UbiQD Launches Two New Greenhouse Film Products for UbiGro November 22, 2022 UbiQD and Heliene Initiate Joint Development of Agrivoltaic Modules for Greenhouses March 22, 2022 UbiQD Shares New Greenhouse Case Studies, Launches UbiGro.com AgTech Website February 8, 2022 2021 UbiQD: UbiGro luminescent film improving cannabis yield through spectral modification December 17, 2021 UbiQD Installs Quantum Dot Solar Window Pilots in Commercial Buildings November 1, 2021 2020 The Coupling of Nanotechnology & Luminescent Films to Optimize Greenhouse Quality October 12, 2020 From Farm to Table: Quantum Dots that Do It All September 24, 2020 Q&A: Nanosys, UbiQD Bring Quantum Dots to Agriculture September 15, 2020 Space Veggies: How Quantum Dots Help Grow Vegetables on Earth & in Space July 16, 2020 UbiQD & Solvay Announce Greenhouse Technology Development Partnership July 7, 2020 Quantum Dots Shift Sunlight’s Spectrum to Speed Plant Growth June 4, 2020 Quantum Dots Enhance Horticultural Efficiency of Sunlight in Greenhouses June 1, 2020 Greenhouse Technology Boosts Crop Yields Up To 20% May 28, 2020 Layer Of Light Helps Plants Get More From The Sun May 25, 2020 This Tech Makes Sunlight More Potent So Normal Greenhouses Can Grow More May 21, 2020 UbiQD and Nanosys Partner to Improve Greenhouse Crop Yields May 20, 2020 This ‘Quantum Dot’ Tech Helps Grow More Plants By Making Sunlight More Powerful May 20, 2020 Quantum Dot Technology for Bigger Yields and Renewable Energy, with UbiQD April 5, 2020 Hello Tomorrow Deep Tech Finalist February 7, 2020 Cannabis Today Podcast – Steve Blank January 11, 2020 2019 Photosynthetically Efficient Colors for Crop Growth and Biomass Accumulation December 7, 2019 NASA Awards UbiQD Second, Larger Contract to “Tailor the Solar Spectrum for Enhanced Crop Yield for Space Missions” December 2, 2019 Harvesting Of Red Light Accelerates Plant Growth November 17, 2019 Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Award November 5, 2019 Technological Advances Help Optimize Greenhouse Sunlight April 2, 2019 UbiQD Wins 2019 SXSW Pitch Competition, Hyper-Connected Communities Category March 19, 2019 10 Killer Agricultural Technologies February 1, 2019 Quantum dots (QD) are making headway in numerous fields, most notably TVs and displays. There has been talk about using QD for agriculture, as the ability to use specific wavelengths can enhance growth. It is a sizable market: The greenhouse cover film market is estimated to be more than 50 billion square feet globally or 20 times more area than the display industry. In May 2020, UbiQD, Inc., a specialist in advanced materials for a range of fields including agriculture, and Nanosys, Inc., a QD leader, announced their partnership on UbiGro® luminescent greenhouse films. Consumer electronics brands have shipped more than 20 million devices from tablets to monitors and TVs base. View article Share:
Dr. Matt Bergren, Chief of Product at UbiQD, Inc. explores how nanotechnology can improve growing vegetables on Earth and in Space.
2022 UbiQD Launches Two New Greenhouse Film Products for UbiGro November 22, 2022 UbiQD and Heliene Initiate Joint Development of Agrivoltaic Modules for Greenhouses March 22, 2022 UbiQD Shares New Greenhouse Case Studies, Launches UbiGro.com AgTech Website February 8, 2022 2021 UbiQD: UbiGro luminescent film improving cannabis yield through spectral modification December 17, 2021 UbiQD Installs Quantum Dot Solar Window Pilots in Commercial Buildings November 1, 2021 2020 The Coupling of Nanotechnology & Luminescent Films to Optimize Greenhouse Quality October 12, 2020 From Farm to Table: Quantum Dots that Do It All September 24, 2020 Q&A: Nanosys, UbiQD Bring Quantum Dots to Agriculture September 15, 2020 Space Veggies: How Quantum Dots Help Grow Vegetables on Earth & in Space July 16, 2020 UbiQD & Solvay Announce Greenhouse Technology Development Partnership July 7, 2020 Quantum Dots Shift Sunlight’s Spectrum to Speed Plant Growth June 4, 2020 Quantum Dots Enhance Horticultural Efficiency of Sunlight in Greenhouses June 1, 2020 Greenhouse Technology Boosts Crop Yields Up To 20% May 28, 2020 Layer Of Light Helps Plants Get More From The Sun May 25, 2020 This Tech Makes Sunlight More Potent So Normal Greenhouses Can Grow More May 21, 2020 UbiQD and Nanosys Partner to Improve Greenhouse Crop Yields May 20, 2020 This ‘Quantum Dot’ Tech Helps Grow More Plants By Making Sunlight More Powerful May 20, 2020 Quantum Dot Technology for Bigger Yields and Renewable Energy, with UbiQD April 5, 2020 Hello Tomorrow Deep Tech Finalist February 7, 2020 Cannabis Today Podcast – Steve Blank January 11, 2020 2019 Photosynthetically Efficient Colors for Crop Growth and Biomass Accumulation December 7, 2019 NASA Awards UbiQD Second, Larger Contract to “Tailor the Solar Spectrum for Enhanced Crop Yield for Space Missions” December 2, 2019 Harvesting Of Red Light Accelerates Plant Growth November 17, 2019 Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Award November 5, 2019 Technological Advances Help Optimize Greenhouse Sunlight April 2, 2019 UbiQD Wins 2019 SXSW Pitch Competition, Hyper-Connected Communities Category March 19, 2019 10 Killer Agricultural Technologies February 1, 2019 Cooperation focuses on developing and commercializing next-generation quantum dot-based specialty agricultural films for greenhouse coverings. Los Alamos, New Mexico-USA & Brussels, Belgium —June 20, 2020—UbiQD, Inc., an advanced materials company powering product innovations in agriculture, clean energy, and security, and the Solvay Group, announced today that they have agreed to partner on the development of next-generation luminescent greenhouse technology under UbiQD’s UbiGro® family of specialty agricultural products. UbiGro is a layer of light that helps plants get more from the sun. Powered by UbiQD’s safe and bright quantum dots, UbiGro uses fluorescence to create a more optimal light spectrum for crops. UbiQD’s dots convert underutilized colors of light from the sun, such as blue and UV, to more photosynthetically active colors of light. UbiQD has demonstrated plants grow faster under the orange UbiGro product; consistently producing up to 20% larger harvests for farmers. “We are only just beginning to see what UbiGro can do for the greenhouse industry, and this exciting new partnership with Solvay will accelerate deployment of a full-cover solution,” said Hunter McDaniel, UbiQD Founder and CEO. “Solvay is the industry leader in greenhouse film additives, and they are widely recognized for their polymer innovation as well as supply chain reliability.” Through the partnership, growers will be able to achieve spectrum optimization without needing to change existing greenhouse designs or invest in lighting fixtures or electricity infrastructure. “Our innovative solutions have helped drive the growth of the $3 billion greenhouse cover market,” explained Olivier Touret, Vice President, Solvay. “We look forward to partnering with a company equally innovative and committed to growing the market.” Eric Aubay, Business Development Director, Solvay, added, “We intend to leverage our rich heritage in polyethylene stabilizers and additives to accelerate the development of what will be the highest performing cover films available.” The cooperation will benefit from leveraging the existing greenhouse cover film supply chain. Other objectives of the partnership include ensuring quantum dot additive processability at an industrial scale, as well as demonstrating the fluorescent layer stabilization in various climates and greenhouse constructions. About UbiQD, Inc. UbiQD is an advanced materials company powering product innovations in agriculture, clean energy, and security. Our quantum dots enable industry leaders to harness the power of light. UbiGro, is a layer of light that uses fluorescence to create a more optimal greenhouse spectrum for crops. Headquartered in Los Alamos, New Mexico, the company is licensing technology developed at leading research institutions, including Los Alamos National Laboratory and MIT. To learn more, please visit: https://ubiqd.com and https://ubigro.com. About Solvay S.A. Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 24,100 employees in 64 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of €10.2 billion in 2019. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels (SOLB) and Paris and in the United States, where its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a Level I ADR program. Learn more at www.solvay.com. Visit website Share:
2022 UbiQD Launches Two New Greenhouse Film Products for UbiGro November 22, 2022 UbiQD and Heliene Initiate Joint Development of Agrivoltaic Modules for Greenhouses March 22, 2022 UbiQD Shares New Greenhouse Case Studies, Launches UbiGro.com AgTech Website February 8, 2022 2021 UbiQD: UbiGro luminescent film improving cannabis yield through spectral modification December 17, 2021 UbiQD Installs Quantum Dot Solar Window Pilots in Commercial Buildings November 1, 2021 2020 The Coupling of Nanotechnology & Luminescent Films to Optimize Greenhouse Quality October 12, 2020 From Farm to Table: Quantum Dots that Do It All September 24, 2020 Q&A: Nanosys, UbiQD Bring Quantum Dots to Agriculture September 15, 2020 Space Veggies: How Quantum Dots Help Grow Vegetables on Earth & in Space July 16, 2020 UbiQD & Solvay Announce Greenhouse Technology Development Partnership July 7, 2020 Quantum Dots Shift Sunlight’s Spectrum to Speed Plant Growth June 4, 2020 Quantum Dots Enhance Horticultural Efficiency of Sunlight in Greenhouses June 1, 2020 Greenhouse Technology Boosts Crop Yields Up To 20% May 28, 2020 Layer Of Light Helps Plants Get More From The Sun May 25, 2020 This Tech Makes Sunlight More Potent So Normal Greenhouses Can Grow More May 21, 2020 UbiQD and Nanosys Partner to Improve Greenhouse Crop Yields May 20, 2020 This ‘Quantum Dot’ Tech Helps Grow More Plants By Making Sunlight More Powerful May 20, 2020 Quantum Dot Technology for Bigger Yields and Renewable Energy, with UbiQD April 5, 2020 Hello Tomorrow Deep Tech Finalist February 7, 2020 Cannabis Today Podcast – Steve Blank January 11, 2020 2019 Photosynthetically Efficient Colors for Crop Growth and Biomass Accumulation December 7, 2019 NASA Awards UbiQD Second, Larger Contract to “Tailor the Solar Spectrum for Enhanced Crop Yield for Space Missions” December 2, 2019 Harvesting Of Red Light Accelerates Plant Growth November 17, 2019 Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Award November 5, 2019 Technological Advances Help Optimize Greenhouse Sunlight April 2, 2019 UbiQD Wins 2019 SXSW Pitch Competition, Hyper-Connected Communities Category March 19, 2019 10 Killer Agricultural Technologies February 1, 2019 In the consumer electronics industry, quantum dots are used to dramatically improve color reproduction in TV displays. That’s because LCD TV displays, the kind in most of our living rooms, require a backlight. This light is typically made up of white, or white-ish LEDs. The LCD filters the white light into red, green, and blue pixels; their combinations create the colors that appear on the screen. Before quantum dots, filtering meant that much of the light didn’t make it to the screen. Putting a layer of quantum dots between the LEDs and the LCD, however, changes that equation. QD TVs use blue LEDs as the light source, then take advantage of the quantum effect to shift some of that light to tightly constrained red and green wavelengths. Because only this purified light reaches the filters—instead of the full spectrum that makes up white light—far less is blocked and wasted. It turns out that this same approach to making your TV picture better can make plants grow faster, because plants, like LCD filters, are tuned to certain colors of light. Overall, plants don’t absorb much green light; they reflect it, and so leaves appear green. Certain plants are even more picky, as recent research using different colors of LEDs for lighting greenhouses has shown. Some Dutch growers, for example, are growing tomatoes under a magenta light, roses under a whiter light, and peppers under a more yellow hue in an effort to give plants exactly the light that produces the best results. View article Share:
2022 UbiQD Launches Two New Greenhouse Film Products for UbiGro November 22, 2022 UbiQD and Heliene Initiate Joint Development of Agrivoltaic Modules for Greenhouses March 22, 2022 UbiQD Shares New Greenhouse Case Studies, Launches UbiGro.com AgTech Website February 8, 2022 2021 UbiQD: UbiGro luminescent film improving cannabis yield through spectral modification December 17, 2021 UbiQD Installs Quantum Dot Solar Window Pilots in Commercial Buildings November 1, 2021 2020 The Coupling of Nanotechnology & Luminescent Films to Optimize Greenhouse Quality October 12, 2020 From Farm to Table: Quantum Dots that Do It All September 24, 2020 Q&A: Nanosys, UbiQD Bring Quantum Dots to Agriculture September 15, 2020 Space Veggies: How Quantum Dots Help Grow Vegetables on Earth & in Space July 16, 2020 UbiQD & Solvay Announce Greenhouse Technology Development Partnership July 7, 2020 Quantum Dots Shift Sunlight’s Spectrum to Speed Plant Growth June 4, 2020 Quantum Dots Enhance Horticultural Efficiency of Sunlight in Greenhouses June 1, 2020 Greenhouse Technology Boosts Crop Yields Up To 20% May 28, 2020 Layer Of Light Helps Plants Get More From The Sun May 25, 2020 This Tech Makes Sunlight More Potent So Normal Greenhouses Can Grow More May 21, 2020 UbiQD and Nanosys Partner to Improve Greenhouse Crop Yields May 20, 2020 This ‘Quantum Dot’ Tech Helps Grow More Plants By Making Sunlight More Powerful May 20, 2020 Quantum Dot Technology for Bigger Yields and Renewable Energy, with UbiQD April 5, 2020 Hello Tomorrow Deep Tech Finalist February 7, 2020 Cannabis Today Podcast – Steve Blank January 11, 2020 2019 Photosynthetically Efficient Colors for Crop Growth and Biomass Accumulation December 7, 2019 NASA Awards UbiQD Second, Larger Contract to “Tailor the Solar Spectrum for Enhanced Crop Yield for Space Missions” December 2, 2019 Harvesting Of Red Light Accelerates Plant Growth November 17, 2019 Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Award November 5, 2019 Technological Advances Help Optimize Greenhouse Sunlight April 2, 2019 UbiQD Wins 2019 SXSW Pitch Competition, Hyper-Connected Communities Category March 19, 2019 10 Killer Agricultural Technologies February 1, 2019 Horticultural lighting remains a hot topic as increasingly food, flowers, and cannabis are grown in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) settings either indoors or in greenhouses. Greenhouses have been thought by many to offer the best of both the outdoor world via sun exposure to plants and the ability to control the environment to a significant degree. But now UbiQD and Nanosys say they can improve the use of sunlight energy for greenhouse operations by leveraging quantum dots (QDs) and shifting the spectra in a way that allows plants to better utilize the radiated energy that is critical for photosynthesis and other plant-growth phenomena. So this story is not about LED technology where manufacturers have long sought to replicate the spectral power distribution (SPD) of the sun. But in essence, research on LED-based horticultural lighting set the stage for this development. We have regularly described how solid-state lighting (SSL) enables growers to only deliver the wavelengths that plants require, and thereby optimize energy usage. For example, there are chlorophyll absorption peaks in the red and blue regions that are key to photosynthesis. We have also written about other important wavelengths such as in coverage of our HortiCann Light + Tech event and the earlier Horticultural Lighting Conferences. Still, the horticultural lighting sector has been most focused on the 400–700-nm range of wavelengths that are referred to as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). And the UbiQD and Nanosys news relates to converting some of the sun’s energy from outside the PAR range into PAR energy. The companies simplified the concept, saying that their technology creates “more photosynthetically efficient orange light that plants crave.” The secret sauce is the QDs and Nanosys is one of the largest manufacturers of those nanoparticles. UbiQD takes those QDs and embeds them into UbiGro plastic films or sheets that can be applied to the surface of the greenhouse. QDs have been widely used in TV and display applications. The particles can be activated optically or electrically. If such a particle absorbs a photon from the sun or other source, it will in turn emit a photon of a different color in a similar manner to how phosphors operate when used with LEDs to make white light. The color or wavelength of light that a QD produces is based on the size of the particle. In particular, QDs produce much richer red wavelengths than do phosphors and thus the use in TVs to achieve a richer gamut. Nanosys allied with Samsung all the way back in 2010 and of course Samsung has been a leader in using QDs in TV applications. Now in the horticultural sector, the QD technology may help increase the yield of greenhouses, even when used separately from LED technology. Of course, LED-based lighting is also used to supplement the sun in greenhouses, especially in northern regions where short days limit sun exposure. And the opportunity for the QD suppliers may be substantial. “The greenhouse cover films market produces twenty times more area than the display industry and continues to grow in double digits on an annual basis,” said Jason Hartlove, CEO of Nanosys. “Greenhouses represent a massive opportunity for the unique benefits of quantum dot technology. We look forward to working with UbiQD to bring UbiGro to market with our industry-leading scale, cost-effectiveness, and highest-quality manufacturing standards.” Learn more about the latest in horticultural lighting and other AgTech topics at HortiCann Light+Tech slated for Oct. 20 in San Jose, CA. View article Share:
“UbiGro films are electricity-free, whereas modifying the light spectrum by LEDs requires electricity.” – Damon Hebert
“UbiGro films are electricity-free, whereas modifying the light spectrum by LEDs requires electricity.” – Damon Hebert
“UbiGro films are electricity-free, whereas modifying the light spectrum by LEDs requires electricity.” – Damon Hebert
Hunter McDaniel, PhD
Founder & CEO
Hunter earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, before joining Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Chemistry Division. Ultimately the value proposition of UbiGro is about boosting crop yields and quality without the cost or energy impact of lighting. Hunter has more than fifty publications and patents, and more than 2000 total citations, h-index: 20. Hunter fundamentally believes that novel materials underpin every significant technology advancement, and he is focused on leveraging new materials to have a lasting and sustainable impact.
Damon Hebert, PhD
Director of Agriculture
Damon brings a wide range of experience in agriculture, materials science, spectroscopy, and small business. During his time in Prof. Angus Rockett’s research group at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Hebert authored a doctoral thesis and multiple papers on the materials science of CIGS semiconductor materials, which is closely related to the materials developed at UbiQD. He also served as a consultant to Nanosolar, a CIGS nanocrystal solar cell manufacturing company. Hebert has industry experience having co-founded Dr. Jolly’s, a leading cultivation and distribution operation in Bend, OR.
Tania Lafaille
Sales Representative
Tania is a UbiGro Sales Representative, with over 7 years of experience in product sales (specifically berries and avocados) covering all of North America and parts of South America. While in agriculture, Tania has cultivated strong relationships with growers and distributors, granting her a unique insight into both perspectives. That understanding, paired with her fierce dedication to results, drives her fun and fiery commitment to her craft. Tania is based in Gilroy, CA.
Tyler Veyna
Sales Representative
Tyler brings 15 years of experience in Greenhouse production and facility management of a wide range of crops in multiple states to the UbiGro team. Based in Salinas, California. “Being a fourth-generation farmer, I look to improve and empower the grower, and with UbiGro, we can do just that.”
Jim Gideon
Sales Manager
Jim Gideon is an UbiGro Sales Manager, with over 25 years of greenhouse industry sales experience covering all of North America. Previously Jim has worked for Green Tek, Plazit-Polygal, Texel, Cherry Creek, and Nexus. He is based in Montgomery, AL, and Jim believes that “light is everything to the grower.”
Eric Moody
Director of Sales
Eric Moody is UbiQD’s Director of UbiGro Sales. Eric has more than 6 years of experience in horticulture lighting industry, building relationships with greenhouse growers of all sizes and crops on optimal lighting for their growing operation, and most recently managed a North American sales team for PL Light Systems. Overall, Eric has been in sales leadership positions for more than 13 years. Eric brings with him a great understanding of the market and available technologies for growers, greenhouse facilities, and sales leadership. Reach Eric by phone at 541-490-6421 or by email at [email protected].
Mike Burrows, PhD
Dr. Michael Burrows is UbiQd’s Vice President of Business Development. His educational background includes a Materials Science doctorate from the University of Delaware and an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. His career has specialized in the commercialization of novel electronic materials in venture-run programs for different industries including solar, biosensors, and the automotive industry. In both start-up and corporate environments, he has extensive experience in global market development, foraging supply chain partnerships, productization, and brand building. He is currently leading UbiQD’s partnership efforts in luminescent greenhouse technology, smart windows, and security ventures.
Matt Bergern, PhD
Cheif Product Officer
As Chief Product Officer at UbiQD, Dr. Matt Bergren leads the company’s product development efforts, sales, and product manufacturing, including the company’s first commercial agriculture product, UbiGro. He plays a critical role in continuing the company’s path of technology development and vision of powering product innovations in agriculture, clean energy, and security.
He serves as the principal investigator for UbiQD’s contract with NASA, focused on tailoring the solar spectrum for enhanced crop production for space missions. Dr. Bergren’s leadership experience includes serving on the board of directors for the New Mexico Energy Manufacturing Institute, focused on job creation in New Mexico’s energy, and related manufacturing community.