Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

Global food security is increasingly threatened by rising temperatures and water scarcity, pushing agricultural industries to adopt sustainable and efficient climate control solutions. Demand for high-quality, stable crop production in controlled environments is accelerating, driving investment in smart agriculture and precision environmental management technologies. This technology offers a low-energy, water-efficient cooling method critical for mitigating climate change impacts on farming.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Increases Cooling Efficiency by ~30%

02

Eliminates Over-Wetting Risk

03

Improves Water Resource Efficiency by 1.5×

Market Opportunity
Controlled Environment Agriculture
$1.5B–$2B globally (AI est.)
The increasing demand for stable, high-quality crop supply and the acceleration of smart agriculture adoption are driving investments in environmental control technologies.
Large-scale greenhouse operators Vertical farm developers Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) solution providers
High-Value Crop Cultivation
$800M–$1.2B globally (AI est.)
High-temperature stress due to climate change is severely impacting high-value fruits and vegetables, creating an urgent need for cooling and environmental control technologies to maintain quality.
Premium fruit and vegetable growers Agricultural technology integrators Specialty crop producers
Seedling and Seed Production
$600M–$700M globally (AI est.)
Maintaining a healthy seedling environment is fundamental to agricultural production. Environmental control technologies that improve germination rates and stabilize early growth are consistently in demand.
Commercial seedling nurseries Seed production companies Horticultural supply manufacturers
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent establishes a unique technical scope for an installation method of a cultivation cooling device using an absorbent sheet, covering specific structural elements like separation from the ground and the formation of a water-receiving section. It is considered a robust right, having successfully navigated examiner objections, and is protected until ~2042.

Competitive White Space

This patent focuses on the physical setup for evaporative cooling. Licensees could develop additional IP in areas such as advanced sensor integration for dynamic cooling control, energy harvesting for autonomous operation, or novel material science for enhanced absorbent sheet longevity and biodegradability.

Economic Impact
~$100K/year estimated economic impact per facility (est.).
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

For a 1-hectare greenhouse facility, this technology could reduce annual electricity costs for cooling by approximately $20,000 (AI est.). Additionally, by mitigating disease risk from over-wetting and maintaining optimal growth conditions, crop yield could improve by 5%, leading to an estimated annual revenue increase of $80,000 (AI est.). The total estimated economic impact is ~$100,000 per year (AI est.). (Calculated as: 20% cooling cost reduction × $100,000 + 5% revenue increase × $1.6M/ha = $100,000).

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology primarily involves the physical configuration of absorbent sheets and water supply pipes, requiring no complex software development or large-scale capital investment. The basic installation method is detailed in the patent specification, eliminating the need for algorithm establishment or extensive safety evaluations. Its high compatibility with existing water supply and cultivation systems allows licensees to implement and begin operations quickly using the provided designs and installation procedures.
Competitive Positioning

X: Cultivation Environment Stability
Y: Environmental Impact Reduction

Business Models & Applications
📄 Cooling Device Manufacturing License
A model for licensing the manufacturing and sales rights of the cultivation cooling device. Licensees can add a high-value cooling system to their product lineup.
💡 Integrated Controlled Environment Agriculture Solutions
A model offering comprehensive controlled environment agriculture solutions that incorporate this technology, including design, installation, and operational support.
⚙️ Integration into Environmental Control Systems
A model for integrating this technology as a module into existing smart agriculture environmental control systems to enhance cooling capabilities and differentiate products.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🍄 Mushroom Cultivation
Optimized Cultivation for Heat-Sensitive Mushrooms
Temperature control is critical for mushroom cultivation, with high summer temperatures often leading to poor growth. Applying this technology could provide low-cost cooling around mushroom beds, contributing to stable production of high-quality mushrooms, potentially increasing yields by 15-20%.
🌿 Medicinal Plant Cultivation
Enhanced Active Compound Production in Medicinal Plants
Some medicinal plants produce active compounds more efficiently under specific temperature conditions. Precise root-zone cooling with this technology could maximize active compound content, contributing to the production of high-value medicinal plants, potentially boosting compound concentration by 10-25%.
🏡 Home & Rooftop Gardening
Urban Gardening Cooling Kits
This technology could be adapted into simple cooling kits for home gardens and rooftop greening in urban areas, mitigating the urban heat island effect. This could improve plant growth environments and contribute to urban greening initiatives, extending growing seasons by several weeks.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 18-Month Deployment
Technology Validation & Design Phase
Duration: 3 months
Based on the core principles and installation methods, optimal designs and specifications are developed to suit the licensee's existing cultivation environment.
Prototype Development & Verification Phase
Duration: 6 months
A small-scale prototype is constructed based on the design, and its cooling effectiveness and crop growth conditions are evaluated and verified under actual cultivation environments.
Full-Scale Implementation & Optimization Phase
Duration: 9 months
Based on verification results, the system is optimized for full-scale deployment in larger facilities. Continuous improvements are made based on operational data.
Technical Feasibility
This technology's installation method, focused on the arrangement of absorbent sheets and water pipes, is highly compatible with existing greenhouse irrigation systems and cultivation bed structures. The patent claims specify concrete structures, such as separation from the ground and formation of a water-receiving section, making implementation relatively easy with general materials and existing knowledge. As it does not require complex electronic control or special materials, the technical barrier is considered low.
Success Scenario
Upon implementing this technology, growth stress from high temperatures could be reduced, potentially improving crop quality and increasing yields by up to 20%. This could enhance market competitiveness for licensees, ensuring stable, high profits year-round. Furthermore, as an environmentally friendly cooling method, it may contribute to improved ESG ratings for companies and attract new customer segments.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2022-005457
REGISTRATION NO.
7755855
FILING DATE
2022/01/18
GRANT DATE
2025/10/08
EXPIRATION DATE
2042/01/18
PATENT HOLDER
国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構
Examination History
2024年11月18日
出願審査請求書
2024年11月18日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2025年07月29日
拒絶理由通知書
2025年08月21日
意見書
2025年08月21日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2025年09月09日
特許査定