Project Presentation and Summary

Agricultural machinery, such as grain and horticultural harvesters, plays a vital role in today’s farming, taking over tasks that are physically demanding and increasingly unappealing. Among these, the harvesting of industrial crops destined for processing—tomatoes are a good example—requires both considerable effort and a high degree of selectivity. Only fruit with the right sugar content, indicated by its colour, can be collected and sent on for processing and packaging.

However, these machines are also among the main contributors to NOx and CO2 emissions in rural areas.

Feeding the global population sustainably is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and rethinking how we farm is a crucial step towards reducing emissions.

The LIFE LAERTHES project responds to this challenge by encouraging a shift towards electrification in the agricultural sector. It focuses on electrifying both the traction systems and the operating components of harvesting machinery. Tomato and bell-pepper harvesters are the first target but, with a modular approach, the technology can be applied to other self-propelled agricultural machines too, including seeders, sprayers and soil-tillage equipment. The aim is to deliver a fully electrified system that allows farmers and agrifood operators to work more efficiently, more sustainably, and in a way that supports health.

To achieve this, LIFE LAERTHES is developing a new and revolutionary modular platform for the electrification of self-propelled processing-tomato harvesters. Work is currently under way on a redesigned architecture for the Guaresi Super G machine, converting its powertrain into a full-hybrid system to optimise diesel engine operation and progressively introduce electric or electro-hydraulic actuation systems, either replacing or supplementing conventional hydraulic systems. 

The phased renewal of the harvesting fleet with these new machines—characterised by lower diesel consumption enabled by Full Hybrid technology— will reduce fuel use and significantly cut emissions of key pollutants, such as NOx, HC, and PM. The LIFE LAERTHES project also aims to sharply reduce the use of mineral-based hydraulic oils by introducing electric actuators in place of conventional hydraulic components in the machine’s operating systems. This transition lowers the risk of oil leakages into the environment during agricultural operations. Finally, the electrification strategy pursued by LIFE LAERTHES will also help reduce noise pollution in rural areas by enabling the diesel engine to run at lower operating speeds, closer to its peak-efficiency range.
 

VISIT THE LIFE LAERTHES WEBSITE

Co-financed by the European Union
Project:  101215488  —  LIFE24-ENV-IT-LIFE LAERTHES

 

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About the Coordinating Partner

The coordinating partner, Guaresi Spa, is a global leader in the manufacture of self-propelled equipment for harvesting and selecting processing tomatoes, supplying major producers across European and international markets.

Guaresi SPA
Via Virgiliana 169 A – 44012
Pilastri (Bondeno), Ferrara - Italy
info@guaresi.it | www.guaresi.com | www.fyeld.eu/en/

The project coordinator for Guaresi Spa is Engineer Riccardo Marini, Research Technical Manager.
e-mail: riccardo.marini@fyeld.eu

LIFE LAERTHES was developed by a partnership of technical and scientific experts comprising:

life laerthes guaresi
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  • CONSERVAS VEGETALES DE EXTREMADURA SA (CONESA) (Partner) - PIC 896538409
    Carretera Villafranco-Balboa, Km 1,5 – 06195 Badajoz, Spain
    info@conesagroup.com | https://conesagroup.com/
  • AE - ROMA SOCIEDAD GESTORA DE ACTIVOS PRODUCTIVOS E INMOBILIARIOS ROMA SL – PIC 87194464
    Carretera Villafranco Balboa S/n KM 1.5 - NUCLEO DE VILLAFR. 06195, Badajoz (Badajoz), Spain
life laerthes conesa

Expected Project Results

The LIFE LAERTHES project aims to develop two prototype tomato harvesters based on the traditional SuperG machine manufactured by Guaresi SpA, redesigned with a Full Hybrid architecture. Two demonstration prototypes will be produced, SuperG ECO and SuperG ECO+, each featuring a higher level of electrification to maximise tomato harvesting performance while minimising fuel consumption per tonne of tomatoes harvested. With the Full Hybrid system developed under the project, the partners have set ambitious targets:

  • 25% reduction in fuel consumption over a full harvesting season
  • Reduction in the quantity of hydraulic oil required for the actuation, sorting and harvesting systems
  • 100% replacement of mineral oil with bio-lubricants, minimising environmental impact from unavoidable leakages, whether accidental or linked to normal operation
  • Lower noise emissions, reducing exposure for machine operators and surrounding areas

The Full Hybrid prototypes—SuperG ECO and SuperG ECO+—will be tested during the 2026-2027 harvesting seasons to verify the achievement of these objectives under real field conditions.
The SuperG ECO, the first machine scheduled for production and testing as early as the 2026 season, will undergo 720 hours of field trials in Extremadura (Spain) during the summer harvesting period. Testing will be carried out by agricultural technicians from ROMA, under the supervision of CONESA. The technicians will receive dedicated training from LIFE LAERTHES instructors to ensure safe, effective, and efficient operation of the machines. CONESA will also provide ongoing support throughout the interaction with Rome’s team. The test sites cover 230 hectares of processing-tomato fields owned by ROMA in the province of Badajoz, in the fertile Guadiana River plains (Vegas Bajas del Guadiana), at an elevation of 200 m above sea level near the Montijo River.
The SuperG ECO+ will be ready for the 2027 harvesting season. This machine will represent the highest level of optimisation achieved within the project, building on the data collected from the SuperG ECO harvester during the previous season. The SuperG ECO+ will be tested in a different context, specifically for cherry tomato harvesting in Sicily. It will also operate for a total of 720 hours to validate compliance with the project’s performance targets.
Quantitative data gathered during these trials will be used to assess the overall sustainability, both environmental and socio-economic,  of the new hybrid machines through LCA and LCC analysis. The project’s overarching objective is to deliver positive impacts across the entire life cycle of the machine, with particular focus on reducing fuel consumption per harvesting season and lowering the environmental impact of the hydraulic systems.
Once the prototypes have been validated in the field after 30 months, a Business Plan will be defined for the new prototypes based on the updated market scenario. To maximise the impact of LIFE LAERTHES results, the project has also prepared a replication and transferability plan, a post-LIFE plan, and the necessary steps for type-approval of the prototypes.
The results will be shared through the project’s main communication channels, including its web pages, social media platforms, and newsletters, which will feature promotional videos, news releases, and project updates. To further broaden reach, project results will also be showcased at trade fairs and expos, through networking activities with other projects, in publications in trade magazines, and during the final event.

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Rivenditori

Fyeld S.p.A.
Registered office: Pilastri di Bondeno (FE), Via Virgiliana n. 169/A
Share capital of EUR 1.300.000,00 fully paid - Registro delle Imprese di Ferrara e Ravenna n. REA FE-123055 - Tax Code and VAT Number No. 00950370387

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