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LIFE ATENA

Project presentation & summary

Agricultural machines such as tractors and implements are crucial assets for farmers and agri-food operators but at the same time they are a major source of pollution in rural areas. Feeding the world sustainably is one of the biggest challenges of our times and the first step in reducing emissions from agriculture is to modify the way how we farm. 
In this context, LIFE ATENA project promotes the shift of mindset of this sector to move towards electrification of agricultural machinery and aims to deliver a fully electrified system allowing farmers and agri-food operators to work more sustainably and healthily. 
To achieve this goal, LIFE ATENA has introduced a new disruptive modular platform for the electrification of isodiametric compact tractors and specialized implements, addressing the needs of farmers for vineyards and orchards. Two typologies of tractor architecture have been successfully developed and validated: full hybrid and full electric tractors as well as N° 5 electrified implements.  
Thanks to the progressive substitution of the existing tractor fleet with fossil-free machinery, it will be possible to achieve a reduction in fuel consumption and subsequent reduction in relevant pollutants including NOx, HC, PM. Furthermore, LIFE ATENA has demonstrated an important reduction in lubricant oil present in the machinery, thereby lowering the risk of oil dispersion into the environment during farming activities. Finally, the electrification effort pursued in LIFE ATENA will contribute to the reduction of noise pollution in the rural context. 

Co-funded by the European Union
Project: 101074404 — LIFE21-ENV-IT-LIFE ATENA
 

Coordinator contact details

The partner coordinator is Antonio Carraro SPA (CARRARO), a worldwide leader in the production of compact tractors for specialized agriculture and civil maintenance with about 80 models produced, destined for numerous market niches.
ANTONIO CARRARO SPA
Via Caltana, 24 -35011
Campodarsego (Padova) Italia
L 45.501772, L 11.908810
info@antoniocarraro.it                          

The project coordinator of Antonio Carraro is Mr. Damiano De Checchi, Research technical manager, CTO.
e-mail: ddechecchi@antoniocarraro.it
 

List of participants

LIFEATENA was developed by a technical and scientific partnership composed of:
ANTONIO CARRARO SPA
Via Caltana, 24 35011 Campodarsego – Padova Italia
info@antoniocarraro.it | www.antoniocarraro.it
Project coordinator: construction and testing of electrified tractors.

ECOTHEA SRL
Corso Castelfidardo, 30/A 10129 Torino Italia
info@ecothea.it | www.ecothea.it
Partner: development of technology for the electrification of tractors.

ERO GmbH Am ERO
Werk 1, 55469 Simmern – Hunsrück Germania
info@ero.eu | www.ero.eu
Partner: Development of electrified vineyard implements.

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
Partners: dissemination and in-field testing.

Project results and special logo

The LIFE ATENA electrified prototype tractors together with the electrified implements have been successfully developed and tested in-field in Prosecco hill vineyards for a total of 500 h working hours between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene and the results have been compared with the traditional tractor baseline, leading to the following measured results:  
  1. Full Hybrid compact tractor prototype with electrified implements:  
  • Fuel saving of 31% obtained from the comparison between values directly measured in-field;  
  • Reduction of 38% of the risk of dispersion of lubricant oil in the soil;  
  • Reduction of 2 dB of the average noise.  
  1. Full Electric compact tractor prototype with electrified implements:  
  • Fuel saving of 100% due to the Full Electric architecture;  
  • Reduction of 42% of the risk of dispersion of lubricant oil in the soil;  
  • Reduction of 6,8 dB of the average noise.
A Business Plan of the new prototypes has been defined based on the updated current market scenario. In addition, in order to maximize the positive effects of the LIFE ATENA results the following plans have been carefully developed: replicability & transferability plan, after-LIFE plan, prototypes homologation.
Quantitative data were collected and used to evaluate the overall sustainability (both environmental and socioeconomic) of the new hybrid and electric tractors and implements through LCA and LCC analyses. The adoption of a circular approach allows to recover approximately 40-50% of the emissions related to production. 
The results of LIFE ATENA have been widely disseminated through the following actions, including project web pages, content published on social media, promotional videos of the project, newsletters, dedicated news publications on internal communication channels, notice boards, roll-ups, Layman's reports, publications in magazines and media, fairs and exhibitions, networking activities with other projects, and a final event.