|
|
The producers of the Bordeaux growing region St. Emilion want to protect their 7,500 ha of vineyards from hailstorms with the help of helium balloons. For this purpose, a total of 37 launch pads for the balloons will be installed there. The total costs amount to about 1.3 million euros, said a spokesman of the regional administration. The system does not offer one hundred per cent protection, but should prevent hailstorms in most cases. For this purpose, a weather radar first identifies approaching hail fronts at a distance of about 30 km from the vineyards. The winegrowers are automatically notified. They launch the balloons into the air by remote control. In the clouds, they distribute 200 grams of a "hygroscopic salt" at a fixed height, which transforms the hail into rain. The concept was developed by the French company Selerys. It is to be implemented from June 2021. The costs for winegrowers range from 43 to 205 euros per hectare, depending on the vineyard classification.
(uka / Photo: Wikipedia)