Amazon, Seattle, reported that it has invested in Hippo Harvest, Half Moon Bay, Calif., and Amogy, Brooklyn, N.Y. The investments are a part of Amazon’s $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund, established in 2020 to help the company meet its climate goals.
Amazon said Hippo Harvest’s pilot farm system uses a direct-to-root fertilizer system that requires 95 percent less water than traditional farming. Due to the controlled environment, the greenhouses can be built almost anywhere, which would eliminate the emissions from transportation and increase the shelf life of fresh vegetables. Going forward, this produce would likely be sold at Amazon-owned grocery ventures Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh.
Amogy, a technology startup, is focused on developing ammonia-to-power systems that are emission-free and will eventually be used to power heavy-duty transportation such as long-haul trucking, aviation, and marine transportation.