Novasina AG

This interview details Novasina, a company based in Switzerland. The interview is with Brady Carter and Philippe Trösch, Sales Director& CSO of Novasina.

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What is the origin story of Novasina?

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In the spirit of ‘Swiss Made’, the founders of Novasina set out 60 years ago in Lachen, Switzerland to create a relative humidity (RH) and temperature sensor that would have unmatched accuracy and durability.

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They were able to design a sensor based on the resistive electrolytic approach that has stood the test of time. While the interfaces and hardware used with the sensor have changed over time, the sensor itself remains the same today, although optimized. Their RH sensors are still hand-made and have the reputation of being the most accurate and robust RH and temperature sensors available in the marketplace.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing Novasina in the future? 

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Because Novasina has committed itself to making precision sensors and not sacrificing quality for lower prices, they must look for partnerships where the unique qualities of their sensors will be appreciated for the value they add. In addition to the right partners worldwide, we face similar challenges to most other industries with higher energy costs and availability of microelectronic components. However, as our sensors can significantly help reduce energy consumption, the challenge is also an opportunity for our customers. 

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What is unique about Novasina compared to competitors? 

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What sets Novaina’s humidity sensor apart from other Rh/T manufacturer is the electrolytic resistive technology they use, which does not exhibit any drift (measurement deviation), is not sensitive to the presence of volatiles, and does not delay (Saturate) at high humidity. The performance of all other RH/T sensors will suffer when exposed to large fluctuations in humidity or extreme conditions and will require maintenance to fix drifts.

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Novasina’s sensors will maintain their performance regardless of conditions, including under humidities approaching 100%. They are uniquely designed to handle the challenging conditions of indoor agriculture while providing the precision needed to maintain the tight climate control needed to optimize production.

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Do you work with CO2 in your operations today -- What are your thoughts in CO2 usage in indoor farms? 

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We do not work with CO₂ or CO₂ sensors, nor is this our competence to discuss CO2 usage.

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Energy is a big topic in indoor farming right now. What price do you typically see in the market for electricity (kWh)? Is it mainly from the grid or renewables?

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We do not typically deal with the availability of electricity as a main issue since the sensors we provide have very low power requirements. However, our sensors can have an impact on power use by indoor ag systems by preventing energy wasted on trying to overcome failures in climate control. A central challenge in indoor agriculture is maintaining proper climate control to achieve ideal growth while delaying disease development.

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Climate control in an ideal range can only be achieved using RH and Temperature sensors to track current conditions and guide adjustments. When these sensors fail or give incorrect readings, the climate control systems are constantly trying to adjust or the crops fail, either of which results in wasted energy use. The robustness and high accuracy of Novasina’s resistive electrolytic temp and RH sensors compared to lower cost sensors prevent failures and eliminate wasted energy inputs. 

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How can people connect with you or learn more about Novasina? 

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We are happy to assist with any queries: 

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www.novasina.com

brady.carter@novasina.com

philippe.troesch@novasina.ch

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Philippe Troesch

Sales Director / CSO

Phone: +41 55 642 67 67

Direct: +41 55 642 67 69 

philippe.troesch@novasina.ch

www.novasina.ch 

Novasina AG – Neuheimstrasse 12 – CH-8853 Lachen

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