Advanced Tractors with Electric implements for Agricultural green revolution

Logo Life Atena

Sustainably feeding the world is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and the first step towards reducing emissions from agriculture is to change our farming practices.

Agricultural machinery, such as tractors and implements, is a source of pollution in rural areas.

However, these non-road mobile machines (NRMM) are essential for farmers and agribusiness professionals.

In this context, the LifeAtena Project aims to encourage a change of mentality in this sector in moving towards the electrification of agricultural machinery by introducing a new game-changing modular platform for the electrification of isodiametric compact tractors that meet the needs of specialized farmers for vineyards and orchards.

This will be achieved through the development and validation of two types of tractor architecture: full hybrid and full electric.

LifeAtena will provide a fully electrified system to allow farmers and agri-food operators to work more sustainably and healthily. Progressively replacing the existing tractor fleets with fossil-free machinery will reduce fuel consumption by up to 45%, resulting in a reduction in relevant pollutants, including NOx, HC, and PM. In addition, LifeAtena will reduce the amount of lubricating oil used for the machinery by more than 30%, thereby significantly lowering the risk of oil dispersion into the environment during farming. Finally, LifeAtena aims to contribute to the reduction of noise pollution in rural areas. Within 5 years from the end of the project, we will have progressively marketed over 3,440 eco-friendly, state-of-the-art tractors and 3,240 electrified implements, achieving GHG savings of over 45% and more than €53 million in positive EBITDA.

Objectives and scope

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LifeAtena’s objective is to present a new technology to achieve agricultural machinery and vehicles with a zero or near-to-zero carbon footprint and consequent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, dispersion of lubricants on the farming soil, noise pollution, protection, restoration and improvement of the quality of the environment.The real challenge is achieving all the set environmental benefits while maintaining the agricultural machines’ high technical performance, aesthetics and dimensions. LifeAtena prototypes will be built as an outcome of this project: the first electrified environment-friendly machines for heroic and specialized farming.

Technical Objectives

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The specific objectives of the project are:

1.
Antonio-Carraro_SRX-Hybrid

Design, engineer, build and validate two prototypes of electrified compact tractors that meet the predefined KPIs in terms of performance and emissions:o A full hybrid compact tractor prototype: our goal is to achieve fuel savings of more than 30% resulting in consequent emission savingso A full electric prototype that allows zero dispersion of combustion products in the environment and drastically reduces noise pollution and lubricating oil dispersion on the fields.

2.
TONY 8900 SR SRX 5800 tora SRX 8900 R

Design, engineer, build and validate 5 prototypes of 100% electric-powered farming implements. The goal is to achieve a 15-20% improvement in effectiveness. All the electrified implements will replace existing ones, which currently are diesel-powered, thus allowing a substantial reduction in fuel consumption and consequent emissions. CO2-e savings per electrified implement will be the following:

  • 1 defoliator: 8 tons of CO2-e/year
  • 1 brush cutter: 2.5 tons CO2/year
  • 1 pre-pruner: 2 tons of CO2-e/year
  • 1 sprayer: 6 tons of CO2-e/year
  • 1 tiller: 1 ton CO2-e/year

Expected impact

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The environmental impacts of the LifeAtena project are not only related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but are more extensive. Indeed, the project aims to significantly reduce the use of synthetic lubricating oils in farming machinery. In addition, electrification shows great potential in terms of reducing noise pollution, a matter that will also be studied within the LifeAtena project.Ultimately, the project aims to:

  • reduce atmospheric pollution
  • reduce lubricant dispersion
  • reduce noise pollution

Partner

ANTONIO CARRARO SPA
Via Caltana, 24
35011 Campodarsego – Padova Italia
info@antoniocarraro.it
www.antoniocarraro.it
Project coordinator, prototype manufacturing and testing, emissions measurement and field testing, tractor building
CONSORZIO TUTELA DEL VINO CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO
Piazza Libertà, 7 (Villa Brandolini)
31053 Solighetto di Pieve di Soligo TV
info@prosecco.it
www.prosecco.it
Promotion
ECOTHEA SRL Corso Castelfidardo, 30/A 10129 Torino Italia
info@ecothea.it
www.ecothea.it
Testing and manufacturing of electric components
ERO GmbH Am ERO-Werk 1,
55469 Simmern – Hunsrück Germania
info@ero.eu
www.ero.eu
Testing and manufacturing of electric components

News

LifeAtena Project
The LIFE programme is the European Commission’s funding instrument created in 1992 aimed at supporting ecological transition via a sustainable economy and the use of “clean” energy. It is dedicated to protecting, restoring and improving the quality of the environment, air, water and ground by adopting any means that prove to be effective in reaching this goal.
Presentazione progetto Life Atena presso Eima International
Presentato a Bologna nell’ambito di EIMA il progetto per la realizzazione di trattori full-hybrid e full-electric. Il gruppo di lavoro, al quale partecipano oltre ad Antonio Carraro gli enti di ricerca ERO e ed Ecothea, e il consorzio del Conegliano Valdobbiadene, beneficia di un finanziamento comunitario nell’ambito del progetto Life.
Life-Atena: un trattore ibrido per la Denominazione
Un progetto triennale nato in collaborazione con la Antonio Carraro Spa, per realizzare un trattore specializzato compatto per vigneto e frutteto ibrido Plug-in. Al via i primi test in campo.
Life Atena is supporting green technologies
TOGETHER AT THE TURIN POLYTECHNIC FOR A JOINT WORKSHOP ON THE LIFE PROGRAMME
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