Resource Innovation Institute (RII)
Our Vision
We strengthen community resilience by guiding the shift to resource-efficient, circular agriculture.
Our Mission
We unlock the potential of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) to build resilient, climate-smart, and equitable food systems.
Our Approach
- Foster innovation and collaboration for sustainable agriculture across all methods of production.
- Share global insights from mature markets like The Netherlands and Canada.
- Support the development of effective policies, codes, and utility incentive programs.
- Promote producer best practices that drive efficiency, circularity, and decarbonization.
DATA RESEARCH
RII’s Data & Research programs generate efficiency insights, more accurate energy modeling, and improved site feasibility decision-making for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) stakeholders. RII’s PowerScore benchmarking platform helps farm operators track energy, water, waste, and carbon emissions – and compare performance by crop and climate zone.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
RII’s Market Development programs help drive climate-smart CEA adoption across North America by partnering with government agencies and utility program managers. We specialize in regional market assessments, circularity strategy development, public-private project formation, and utility program innovation.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
RII’s Education & Training programs provide CEA stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and connections critical for resource efficient and climate-smart practices. All curriculum is rooted in the expertise of our Technical Advisory Council and its cohorts of Working Groups assembled to address a range of timely topics on farm design, construction, and operation. Offerings include best practice guides, learning events, a virtual library, and workforce development programs.
MEMBERSHIP
RII’s Membership Program is a key component of our public-private partnership, bringing together industry, government, utility, and academic leaders to drive innovation and resource efficiency. As a non-profit, we offer an unbiased platform for collaboration, where members gain access to business development and networking opportunities while informing best practices and standards. By joining RII, members contribute to shaping the future of climate-smart agriculture while benefiting from exclusive tools and resources.
Key Partnerships to Accelerate Climate-Smart CEA Market Development
RII’s success is built on strong partnerships across federal, state, and local levels. These collaborations help advance climate-smart practices in controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
Federal Partnership
RII is currently collaborating with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on a CEA Market Accelerator. Primary activities include:
- Developing a national CEA site feasibility tool to guide resource- and cost-efficient farm locations
- Creating a technology catalog and virtual resource library
- Documenting case studies demonstrating a variety of CEA use cases across rural and urban communities
- Establishing a professional credentialing program for CEA stakeholders
State & Utility Collaborations
Regional collaborations advance agricultural circularity, community resilience, and climate-smart CEA market development:
- Partnering with states like Pennsylvania, New York, California to inform effective policies and programs
- Collaborating with utilities like Southern California Edison, National Grid (Massachusetts), and PHI (Maryland) to promote energy-efficient technologies and financial incentives for producers.
