Repsol YPF

What is the "CENIT" programme?

The CENIT (National strategical consortiums for technical investigation) programme is promoted by the Spanish Administration, in the context of its promotion programme of the public-private stable development cooperation in R&D. It aims to foster and develop large-scale strategical industrial investigation projects. The consortiums must be composed of a minimum of four companies, two of which must be large and two of which small, as well as of at least two investigative bodies subcontracted by the companies making up the consortium, with at least 25% of the total budget for the project being invested in this development subcontracting. This amount must be between 20 and 40 millon euros (€) over the four years of  its duration. The projects must be managed by a company of sufficient importance and with sufficient technological capacity, and are cofinanced by the CDTI (Centre for industrial technological development) to the tune of up to 50%.

What is the "Mediodía" project?

The industrial investigation project MEDIODÍA, acronym for “Increase in efforts towards the development, innovation, optimization and design of 'high-tech' greenhouses”, led by Repsol YPF, has been one of the fifteen projects worthy of the support of the programme of National strategical consortiums for technological investigation (CENIT) in its second edition (2007-2010).

The overall aim of the project is to carry out a strategical investigation in the field of agriculture under plastic which enables the development of a new concept of "hi-tech" greenhouse, which is highly automated, efficient in terms of energy and water consumption and which makes it possible to grow diverse crops which are profitable at any time of the year in different Spanish climates, through an organic production system. 

The project is considering development in the area of materials (for the roof, structure and substratum of the greenhouse), electromechanic systems (climatization, movement of plants, fertirrigation and carbonic fertilization) and auxiliary biological systems (pollinizers and comprehensive struggle). In addition, it will work on the management of products (classification, processing and packaging of vegetables), by-products and residue and on the supply of renewable energy and water to small agglomerations of greenhouses.

11 companies, leaders in their sectors, coordinated by Repsol YPF, are participating in MEDIODÍA, and a good many of the activities of the project will be carried out by 26 investigative bodies. 

The project reflects the support of the Spanish government for the sector of intensive agriculture, one of the most important subsectors of agriculture, and will enable Spain to be placed at the vanguard of agrifood technology, going from being a buyer of technology to being a leader in Europe and indeed the world over. Its results will, moreover, go beyond the agrifood sector, fostering other industrial and service activities.

Project activities and tasks (PDF 24,4 Kb)

Press release (PDF 45,6 Kb)

Further information in www.cenitmediodia.com