Ginés Ángel García, CEO of Konery: “The Agrivolt Insight project was born with the support of CDTI Innovation and FEDER funds to optimize energy, water and cultivation in a single system”

In a global scenario marked by pressure on natural resources, energy volatility and the urgency of transforming production models, innovation is making its way as an essential lever. From that conviction was born Konery, a company that has made the improvement of the energy model its raison d’être and that now takes another step with the development of Agrivolt Insight, a project that connects agriculture, renewable energy and advanced technology in the same system.

At the head of the company is Ginés Ángel García, its founder and CEO, who promoted the creation of Konery with a clear objective: “Change the energy model of companies”. To this end, the company has structured its activity in four major areas —energy market, energy efficiency, renewable energies and energy management and storage— in order to become an integral strategic partner for its customers.

Currently, Konery has a team of more than 70 people, nine of whom are dedicated to R&D activities. The company operates exclusively in the domestic market, although with a clear vocation of international expansion, and works with reference companies in industrial and agri-food sectors. Its value proposition focuses on turnkey solutions for photovoltaic self-consumption, energy efficiency and, increasingly, on the emerging market of Energy Savings Certificates (CAE), where it acts as a delegated subject.

Where agriculture and energy are located

The Agrivolt Insight project represents one of the company’s most advanced developments to date. Its starting point is an increasingly evident reality: the need to rethink the relationship between agricultural production and energy generation.

“Agrivoltaic in greenhouses has multiple objectives: maintaining competitive agronomic yields and, at the same time, generating energy within the same system,” explains García. However, this duality introduces a significant complexity, since both processes share a limited resource: solar radiation.

From an agricultural point of view, the project responds to structural challenges such as water scarcity or the need to optimize inputs. “There is currently sub-optimal use of water and fertilizers due to the lack of integration and dynamic adjustment in real time,” he says. Added to this are factors such as the increase in temperatures or the recurrence of droughts, which force us to look for more resilient solutions.

In parallel, the energy field poses its own challenges. “The objective is to move towards a greenhouse that functions as an energy island, capable of operating without depending on the conventional electricity network,” says the CEO. This involves integrating renewable generation, storage and intelligent management into a highly technical environment.

A ‘digital brain’ for the greenhouse

One of the differential elements of Agrivolt Insight is the incorporation of technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins. Together, these tools shape what Garcia defines as a “digital brain” of the greenhouse.

“The system follows a logical flow: sensorization, communications, cloud processing, AI analysis and decision-making that translate into actions on the physical system,” he says. The sensors act as the “senses” of the system, collecting data on temperature, humidity, CO₂, radiation or soil condition, among other key parameters.

This data is transmitted via IoT technologies to a cloud platform, where it is stored and processed. This is where the digital twin comes into play, a virtual replica of the greenhouse that allows scenarios to be simulated and decisions to be anticipated. “The digital twin not only serves to design the optimal installation, but also to test operational changes before applying them in the real world,” he explains.

On the other hand, artificial intelligence provides the capacity for analysis and prediction. “AI models analyze historical and real-time data to forecast future needs, detect anomalies and propose adjustments that optimize both agricultural production and energy generation,” he adds.

How to integrate complex systems

Despite the potential of these technologies, their integration is not without challenges. In fact, the main challenge of the project has been precisely to make all the components work in a coordinated way.

“The biggest challenge is not to install sensors or panels, but to achieve a complete integration between the physical and digital worlds,” García acknowledges. This involves ensuring data quality, real-time synchronization and interoperability between systems.

“If the sensors are not properly calibrated, AI learns badly. If the communications fail, the decisions arrive late. And if the systems are not interoperable, inefficiencies are generated,” he summarizes. Added to this is the need to simultaneously optimize agronomic and energy variables, which makes the project a constant balancing exercise.

Facilities of Konery

Collaboration with the academic world

To address this complexity, Konery has counted on the collaboration of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT), specifically with its Telematic Engineering Research Group.

“The UPCT is a key technological partner, especially in aspects such as the optimization of communications or the development of solutions based on IoT and AI,” says García. This collaboration has allowed us to reduce technological risks and advance in the transfer of knowledge towards real applications.

In addition, the alliance with the academic field opens the door to the protection of results and the development of new lines of innovation. “We will jointly analyze the best way to protect results, whether through patents or utility models,” he says.

Impact on efficiency, sustainability and the 2030 Agenda

Agrivolt Insight’s potential goes beyond technological innovation. Its true value lies in the ability to transform resource management into agricultural systems.

“The combination of real-time data, simulation and automation allows us to optimize the use of water, fertilizers and energy,” says García. In practical terms, this translates into a reduction in costs and an improvement in sustainability.

On the one hand, the system allows precise adjustment of irrigation and fertilization, avoiding waste. On the other hand, the integration of solar energy reduces dependence on external sources and contributes to decarbonization. All this places the project in line with the 2030 Agenda and with key objectives such as SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 12 (responsible production and consumption) and SDG 13 (climate action), promoting a more responsible, innovative and resilient production model.

“The important thing is not only to incorporate renewables, but to intelligently integrate energy and agronomy into the same decision-making layer,” he stresses. In this way, the greenhouse ceases to be a set of isolated systems to become an ecosystem optimized in an integral way.

Accompaniment from the public

The development of such a project requires a significant investment in technological and human resources. In this sense, the support of public funding has been decisive.

“Receiving the help has been a decisive factor in carrying out the project. It is a necessary trigger to finance large-scale initiatives that would otherwise be difficult to assume,” says García.

In particular, the support of the CDTI Innovation, co-financed with European ERDF funds, has accelerated the development of Agrivolt Insight and strengthened Konery’s commitment to R&D. “This type of financing encourages companies to invest in research and development, generating a positive impact on the entire innovative ecosystem,” he adds.

From their perspective, the impact transcends the business environment. “It makes possible projects that implicitly lead to an improvement for society. In our case, it contributes to a more sustainable and efficient energy system,” he says.

From pilot project to scalable platform

In the medium term, Konery aims to turn Agrivolt Insight into a replicable and scalable solution. “The objective is to evolve from a pilot project to a platform that can adapt to different types of greenhouse and crop,” explains García.

In the coming years, the company plans to move towards more autonomous systems, with predictive and predictive maintenance capabilities, as well as greater integration with other energy infrastructures.

“We want the digital twin not just to be an analysis tool, but a real operating engine in real time,” he says. This would allow us to anticipate needs, optimize resources and improve decision-making on an ongoing basis.

Ultimately, Agrivolt Insight reflects a paradigm shift in the way we approach production systems. Faced with fragmented models, it is committed to an integrated vision based on data, technology and sustainability.

“In five years’ time, we want these types of solutions to be the basis for designing, predicting and managing greenhouses as integrated systems,” García concludes. “Because the future is not about optimizing each element separately but understanding how all of them interact and manage them together.”

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027, the CDTI provided more than 2 billion euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

 
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