

PNAT builds jellyfish barge for sustainable crop cultivation

photo by matteo de mayda

all images courtesy of PNAT

responding to predictions that the world’s population will grow to almost 10 billion within the next 40 years, italian thinktank PNAT has developed a module for crop cultivation that does not reply on either soil, fresh water or chemical energy consumption. dubbed the ‘jellyfish barge’, the project is envisioned as a floating agricultural greenhouse, able to purify salt, brackish or polluted water using solar energy.



the design is built using low-cost technologies and simple materials

photo by matteo de mayda

built using low-cost technologies and simple materials, the design consists of a 70 square meter wooden base that floats on recycled plastic drums and supports a glass greenhouse for crop cultivation. inside the structure, a high-efficiency hydroponic harvesting method provides up to 70% of water savings compared to traditional systems, while required water is supplied by seven solar desalination units. arranged around the perimeter of the greenhouse, these devices are able to produce up to 150 liters of clean fresh water each day.

the modular nature of the design also means that while a single element is completely autonomous, a combination or cluster of barges is able to create a stronger and more resilient organism.



the project is envisioned as a floating agricultural greenhouse

photo by matteo de mayda



the scheme can purify salt, brackish or polluted water using solar energy

photo by matteo de mayda



a high-efficiency hydroponic harvesting method provides up to 70% of water savings

photo by matteo de mayda



required water is supplied by seven solar desalination units

photo by matteo de mayda



the barge can produce 150 liters of clean fresh water each day

photo by matteo de mayda



a wooden base floats on recycled plastic drums and supports a glass greenhouse

photo by matteo de mayda



the modular nature of the design means that a combination of barges is able to create a more resilient organism

photo by matteo de mayda

















full article here

project info:

coordination by prof. stefano mancuso

project by antonio girardi and cristiana favretto

cultivation by elisa azzarello, elisa masi, camilla pandolfi and LINV researchers

solar desalination by paolo franceschetti

supported by regione toscana and ente cassa di risparmio di firenze

promoted by university of florence

jellyfish barge is a project developed by pnat