Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Q&A, Expert Source: Viraj Puri, Co-Founder And CEO of Gotham Greens, An Indoor Farming Company With Hydroponic Greenhouses Located In Cities Across America
Gotham Greens is focused on building a more sustainable food system and we are drawn to adaptive reuse projects in cities across America
A Q&A with Viraj Puri, Co-Founder, and CEO of Gotham Greens
For those that do not know Gotham Greens, please tell us a little bit about the company and when the company was formed?
Viraj Puri, Co-Founder, and CEO of Gotham Greens
Viraj: We are on a mission to transform how and where fresh food is grown. Gotham Greens is a pioneer in indoor greenhouse agriculture and a leading producer of fresh and sustainably- grown salad greens, herbs, dressings, dips, and cooking sauces. By using hydroponic systems in 100% renewable energy-powered greenhouses, our farms use 95% less water and 97% less land than conventional farming. Since our launch in 2011, Gotham Greens has grown from a single urban rooftop greenhouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., to a multi-state greenhouse operator and one of the largest hydroponic leafy green producers in North America.
How many farms do you operate? And where are those farms located? What do you grow?
Viraj: Gotham Greens currently operates 500,000 square feet of greenhouses across five U.S. states (and growing), including locations in New York City, Chicago, Providence, R.I., Baltimore, and Denver. Through our national network of high-tech, hydroponic greenhouses, Gotham Greens produces fresh, long-lasting, and tasty leafy greens and herbs along with a line of plant-based salad dressings, dips, and sauces, available in more than 2,000 retailers in 40 states, restaurants in select cities, and foodservice customers all year-round.
Why did you choose a greenhouse over a vertical farm?
Viraj: Gotham Greens is focused on building a more sustainable food system and we are drawn to adaptive reuse projects in cities across America. Gotham Greens has a track record of established, robust and proven operations and technology compared to vertical farming, which is still a relatively young industry. Our hydroponic greenhouse technology uses less energy than vertical farming. While vertical farming is an innovative extension of modern greenhouse farming with overlapping principles that has garnered quite a bit of interest, there are still questions surrounding the technology and financial viability of this farming method. In theory, fully indoor environments that rely on artificial light and HVAC systems can offer very high yields and levels of climate control, pest management, and food safety, but these benefits can be outweighed by significantly higher capital and operating costs than our hydroponic greenhouses.
What are your predictions for the future of controlled environment agriculture?
Viraj: For many parts of the country, it’s difficult to get fresh, locally-grown produce all year round. Since more than 95% of lettuce grown in the United States comes from California and Arizona, by the time it reaches other markets, it loses its quality, taste, and nutritional value – and has a much shorter shelf life. Gotham Greens, and controlled environment agriculture at large, provide an opportunity to transform our food system for the better by growing more fresh foods closer to where consumers live — all while using fewer natural resources.
Consumers, retailers and foodservice operators are increasingly recognizing the reliability, consistency and high quality of greenhouse-grown produce that’s grown in close proximity to large portions of the population and we only expect this model to continue to grow as consumers pay greater attention to the food they eat and its impact on the planet. While indoor farming may not represent the future of all fresh produce production, for certain types of crops, it will become much more prevalent in the coming years.
You can hear Viraj Puri speak at the virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit June 24-25, 2021.
Register Now!
Learn more: @gothamgreens or gothamgreens.com
Pure Harvest Smart Farms Adopts Honeywell’s Sustainable Technology
Pioneering controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the Middle East, Pure Harvest’s mission is to tackle some of the region’s biggest problems using technology to provide agriculture solutions that address food security, water conservation, economic diversification, and sustainability needs
Al Ain farm uses the Solstice zd for climate-controlled system – an ultra-low-global-warming-potential solution – for growth of its produce
By ITP.net Staff Writer
28 Jun 2021
The Al Ain-based Pure Harvest Smart Farms is using Honeywell’s Solstice zd (R-1233zd) ultra-low-global-warming-potential (LGWP) refrigerant to cool its new indoor farm, while reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
The UAE-based company has implemented several high-tech, controlled-environment hybrid growing systems across the Middle East to meet the regional need for fresh fruits and vegetables. However, the Al Ain farm will be the first sustainable initiative to use Honeywell’s solution, which effectively increases energy efficiency when used in chillers, and will assist the farm in reducing its carbon footprint.
Based on hydrofluoro-olefin technology, Solstice zd is non-flammable with a GWP of 1, and offers better capacity and similar efficiency to HCFC R-123 in low-pressure centrifugal chillers to cool large buildings and infrastructure.
“We’ve developed a successful controlled agriculture business that converts natural sunlight to grow fresh produce in abundance, helping us to address regional challenges such as food insecurity and water scarcity, and offer consumers fresher and more sustainable choices,” said Sky Kurtz, CEO and co-founder of Pure Harvest Smart Farms.
“Solstice zd is integral to the continued growth of our sustainable operations and is a practical and economical solution that enables us to meet our long-term goals, and comply with existing and proposed regulations for lower-GWP solutions.”
Amir Naqvi, regional business leader, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa for Honeywell Fluorine Products, added: “Solstice zd is a long-term, environmentally preferable solution for farming in the region, which typically has high energy demands as a result of the hot climate.
“Converting to Solstice zd will not only help Pure Harvest Smart Farms with sustainable practices, but will also help to accelerate the industry’s conversion to alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Founded in Abu Dhabi, Pure Harvest Smart Farms is a technology-enabled agribusiness focused on year-round, sustainable production of premium quality fresh fruits and vegetables. As makers of the Middle East’s first commercial-scale, semi-automated high-tech hybrid greenhouse food production system, Pure Harvest leverages innovative growing technologies and horticultural best practices to enable local-for-local production of affordable, sustainably-grown, cleaner than organic and protected by nature, fresh produce anywhere.
Pioneering controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the Middle East, Pure Harvest’s mission is to tackle some of the region’s biggest problems using technology to provide agriculture solutions that address food security, water conservation, economic diversification, and sustainability needs.
The company’s products are found in some of the most respected and far-reaching retailers in the Middle East, such as Spinneys, Waitrose, and Carrefour, as well as numerous reputable hotels and restaurants in the UAE. The company currently grows 26 commercial varieties of tomatoes, including six that have never before been seen, and six varieties of strawberries.
By early next year, upon completion of the company’s Kuwaiti facility and its expansion into KSA, the product portfolio will broaden even further, to include raspberries, blackberries, additional vine crops and lettuces.
Solstice zd has been adopted by Trane, a leading air-conditioner manufacturer, in its new Series E CenTraVac large capacity centrifugal chillers in the Middle East as well as in Europe’s Channel Tunnel, which has demonstrated annual energy savings of 33% (4.8 GWh).
Honeywell refrigerants are sold worldwide under the Solstice and Genetron brand names for a range of applications, including refrigeration, building and automobile air-conditioning. The company and its suppliers have completed a billion-dollar investment program in research and development, and new capacity based on Honeywell’s hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology. Worldwide adoption of Solstice products has resulted in the reduction of more than 200 million metric tons of CO2 to date, equal to eliminating the emissions from more than 42 million cars from the road for a year.
Honeywell recently committed to achieve carbon neutrality in its operations and facilities by 2035. This commitment builds on the company’s track record of sharply reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of its operations and facilities as well as its decades-long history of innovation to help its customers meet their environmental and social goals.
Food TechSustainabilityFarmingPure Harvest Smart Farms (Pureharvest.Ae/)Honeywell
Modern Farming: Coronavirus Outbreak Spurs High-Tech Greenhouse Boom in China
The facility is one of the dozens sprouting up on the outskirts of China's megacities that utilise high-end technology to manage irrigation, temperature and lighting systems to grow vegetables within easy reach of a large and affluent consumer base
June 4, 2021
Emily Chow
SHANGHAI, June 4 (Reuters) - At Chongming Island just outside Shanghai, China’s most populous city, workers collect and pack tomatoes and cucumbers at a glass greenhouse operated by Dutch company FoodVentures, which harvested their first batch of produce at the site in May.
The facility is one of the dozens sprouting up on the outskirts of China's megacities that utilize high-end technology to manage irrigation, temperature, and lighting systems to grow vegetables within easy reach of a large and affluent consumer base.
"There is a trend towards more sustainable and professional supply," said FoodVentures director Dirk Aleven.
"We've seen a huge acceleration since (the) coronavirus, it is even more important now that fresh produce is produced at the spot where it's consumed. Before that, they were transported for thousands of kilometers, even within the borders of China."
By far the world's largest vegetable producer, China has used greenhouses for decades, but food supply disruptions sparked by coronavirus lockdowns in 2020 have accelerated the development of high-tech glass greenhouse facilities.
To avoid future disruptions, municipal governments have said they aim to build up reserves of critical staples, and develop distribution and logistics facilities.
A growing affluent middle class, willing to pay more for higher quality food produced with less pesticides, is also fueling the trend, said greenhouse developers.
The area used for glass greenhouses grew 28% in 2020, well above the 5.9% rise seen in 2019, and faster than the 6% growth seen last year in areas housing cheaper plastic greenhouses, according to consultancy Richland Sources.
Plastic greenhouses help shield crops, but are considered less efficient than glass greenhouses. The latter can churn out high quality produce that is sold directly to retailers, reducing reliance on traditional supply chains.
"We see an irreversible trend since the pandemic in consumers buying more of their groceries online, and spending more on healthier choices and agricultural brands they trust," said Lim Xin Yi, executive director of sustainability at Pinduoduo, China's largest e-commerce platform by users.
BYPASSING THE MIDDLE MAN
Historically, China's vegetable production was concentrated in certain areas and required complex cold chain logistics networks for food to reach major cities' wholesale markets.
The vulnerability of that hub-centric system became apparent in 2020. COVID-19 outbreaks at a seafood market in Wuhan - ground zero for China's coronavirus pandemic - and at a major fresh market in Beijing caused a breakdown in the flow of goods to consumers, leading to food shortage and crop spoilage.
"The pandemic has pushed the fresh food industry to reduce the number of intermediaries in its supply chain network," said Gayathree Ganesan, an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
A farmer gathers cucumbers at Hengda greenhouse in Shanghai, China May 25, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
Built within city limits to reduce distance to buyers, the greenhouses are usually collaborative ventures between Chinese property firms and greenhouse companies from the Netherlands, a key player in agriculture technology.
FoodVentures' greenhouse outside Shanghai is a typical example.
Over three football fields long and two storeys high, one of the facility's units nurtures uniform rows of cherry tomato plants that snake up towards the ceiling. It is capable of producing up to 120 tonnes a month of cherry tomatoes.
"Being healthy is already a first protection against any virus, so people care even more about what they eat," said Aleven. "Secondly, ... we want to get rid of the long logistics because we are not sure if it always works and that's what we've seen during this pandemic."
"Localising it as much as possible is the only answer," he added.
Greenshouse-grown produce is usually sold directly to e-commerce platforms and supermarkets, bypassing the many middlemen and wholesale markets that are a traditional feature of China's vegetable supply chain.
Carrefour China, which is 80% owned by Chinese retail giant Suning, said its cooperation with greenhouses around cities has grown steadily in the past two years to meet consumer demand.
SUSTAINED EXPANSION
Further growth in key cities is likely, with a recent government document showing Beijing aims to more than double its "high-efficiency facility agriculture land" to over 300 hectares by 2025.
That growth could further cement China’s status as top vegetable producer. The country already accounts for 75% or more of global output of cucumbers, green beans, spinach and asparagus.
Xu Dan, CEO of greenhouse operator Beijing HortiPolaris, said his business benefited last year when a second coronavirus wave hit Beijing in June, shutting down a major wholesale market and driving his daily orders up 300%.
"(At that time) supermarkets were looking for growers with the ability to deliver within 24 hours and they had no time to search for new suppliers," he said.
But Xu said China could face some obstacles as it leaps into modern farming.
"The biggest challenges are people, people who have the knowledge to manage greenhouses to produce quality vegetables," he said.
“Most farmers are getting old and their way of production also out of date, replacing such (a) big amount of farmers is really a big challenge.”
Reporting by Emily Chow in Shanghai, additional reporting by Sophie Yu and Dominique Patton in Beijing and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa
USA - FLORIDA: Finn Farms Begins Production At Babcock Ranch
The goal is to naturally grow produce year-round without fighting Florida’s humidity, and one company did it with 95% less water than traditional agriculture
Reporter: Erika Jackson
Writer: Jackie Winchester
June 21, 2021
From Seeds To Your Table,
There’s A One-Of-A-Kind Prototype
Greenhouse In Southwest Florida
The goal is to naturally grow produce year-round without fighting Florida’s humidity, and one company did it with 95% less water than traditional agriculture.
“This is controlled environment agriculture at its best,” said Oskari Kariste, founder and CEO of Finn Farms at Babcock Ranch.
What exactly does that mean? To break it down, the greenhouse is about the size of a soccer field. It can seed 60,000 plants a day and produce 1.5 million pounds of greens a year. That’s the same as 60 acres of open-field farming.
“This is totally the future of farming,” Kariste said.
He brought Finnish farming to Southwest Florida, dropping it in the heart of Babcock Ranch.
“What better way to do it than when you’re thinking about sustainability and innovation all at the same time,” said Syd Kitson, CEO, and chairman of Kitson & Partners.
The $13 million greenhouse uses recycled rainwater and condensation from the plants. It takes 95% less water to keep these plants thriving compared to traditional farming.
The plants grow on 300-foot-long tables. Most are harvested in less than 30 days.
“You have to see taste and feel the production in your hands and we are able to show how premium our quality is,” Kariste said.
“It’s always local and fresh, I think that’s the key component.”
Finn Farms is negotiating with buyers to start selling its produce. Phase two of the project is expected to be double the size and include vertical farming.
Polygreens Podcast Episode: 31 - Richard Vollebregt - Part 2
In this episode, Joe and Nick continue interviewing Richard Vollebregt, President & CEO of Cravo Equipment Ltd, a company that develops retractable roof production systems to enhance berry, cherry, cannabis and vegetable production for growers worldwide
In this episode, Joe and Nick continue interviewing Richard Vollebregt, President & CEO of Cravo Equipment Ltd, a company that develops retractable roof production systems to enhance berry, cherry, cannabis, and vegetable production for growers worldwide.
His background in economics combined with 30+ years of experience designing automated retractable roof greenhouses, knowledge of plant physiology and my worldwide experience in many crop industries allows me to be very effective in designing crop production systems and then creating financial models which benchmarking again conventional greenhouses, tunnels, and open field production.
Latest Episode
Certhon Expands To Bring In Horticultural Experience For North American Market
Besides traditional greenhouses, indoor farming has become a professional segment that develops faster in the United States than anywhere else. In some cases, these facilities are complementary to the greenhouse, but mostly these are stand-alone setups
While celebrating its 125 years of existence this year, Certhon is far from done developing and expanding within the horticultural market. There have been a lot of developments for the company in the last few years. For example, Certhon established its own Innovation Center to research the optimization of technologies in the field of indoor farming. With a team of technology experts and agronomists, Certhon always tries to find ways to improve cultivation methods. Another development is the partnership between DENSO and Certhon that has been established last year. This collaboration is meant to accelerate the technologies used in horticulture.
We also see that projects are becoming more and more complex, large-scale, and international. Certhon is already active all over the world: from Europe to the Middle East and from Asia to North America. Because the demand for fresh greenhouse produce is still on the rise in the North American market, Certhon works to realize a stable presence in the United States. That’s why Timo Kleijwegt and Fred van Veldhoven have joined Certhon to rejuvenate and bring in experience to serve this growing market optimally. This, combined with dedicated local people and a support team based in the headquarters in Poeldijk, the Netherlands, entrepreneurs in North America can rely on the best Certhon has to offer and 24/7 support.
Left: Timo Kleijwegt, right: Fred van Veldhoven
Turn-key greenhouse projects
For expansion of an existing greenhouse, new (indoor) facility, or turnkey set up, Certhon has all the knowledge, know-how, and technologies under one roof to enable entrepreneurs to produce local, fresh food. All in accordance with the local regulations and requirements, and the wishes of the customer. One of Certhon’s solutions is the SuprimAir greenhouse, which is a semi-closed greenhouse that provides optimal growing conditions for various crops like tomatoes and peppers, but also ornamentals like orchids.
“In fact, Certhon doesn’t just design and construct a greenhouse, but creates the optimal climate and conditions to realize the best results,” says Fred van Veldhoven, who recently joined Certhon as International sales manager. “Certhon has its own developed system to obtain a complete and updated backtrack of the climatological conditions of a particular area per hour!” continues Fred. “All available data has been brought together and presents a reliable picture of the local situation. Future developments are being forecasted and extremes are being analyzed. This way, the right facility can be calculated, designed, and built for anything, anywhere.”
The American market is probably the most dynamic and demanding in the world and the consumers are used to have access to high-quality food, flowers, and ornamental plants. “Entrepreneurs choose for the total solution approach of Certhon, so they only have to turn the key,” concludes Fred.
State-of-the-art indoor farms
Besides traditional greenhouses, indoor farming has become a professional segment that develops faster in the United States than anywhere else. In some cases, these facilities are complementary to the greenhouse, but mostly these are stand-alone setups. The legalization of cannabis production in various states in the US and Canada has boosted this development. However, more and more entrepreneurs discover the benefits of fully controlled indoor food production, just around the corner.
Also within the larger agglomeration areas where fresh food is more expensive, indoor farming is part of the supply chain. Recently, Timo Kleijwegt joined Certhon as sales manager for the US market to respond to this development. Timo: “In our Innovation Centre, we have several indoor cells that are all designed differently so we can test which systems are working better for different purposes.
One of the crops we are testing and that is very interesting for indoor farming, are strawberries. Certhon has developed a unique growing concept for indoor strawberry production, which is highly profitable. Besides all the benefits that come with indoor growing, we see enormous positive results in yield and taste of growing strawberries indoors. At the moment, the final trials are being concluded. If anyone is interested in the results, they can contact me for a one-on-one presentation.”
Certhon will be present at key events in the US and Canada to share the latest developments, including the PMA in New Orleans in October. “We are looking forward to talking to ambitious entrepreneurs there,” Timo concludes.
CANADA - QUEBEC: Billionaire Project In Saint-Bruno
This project is extremely interesting because it combines data centers with greenhouses. As you may know, data centers produce huge amounts of heat
Editor’s Note: This project is extremely interesting because it combines data centers with greenhouses. As you may know, data centers produce huge amounts of heat. In the cold climate of Quebec, greenhouses could use some more heat. It will be interesting to watch this project develop, and see if this new model for using waste heat to help grow food year-round is viable!
Martin Bouchard, the founder of the Copernic search engine and the 4Degrés data centers, wants to eventually build at least three high-intensity data processing complexes including the recovery of thermal waste. The total estimated bill will be around 5 billion.
Is the plan complicated? To put this into words: artificial intelligence, innovation, circular economy, high capacity computing servers, clean energy, greenhouse production, food autonomy; stir calmly and you will obtain the successful project on which Mr. Bouchard and his associates Vincent Thibault and Dany Perron have been working for three years.
The Quebec government is receptive to this project, La Presse has learned. The role of the monopoly of electricity distribution is essential since such a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence consumes twice as much energy in a year when compared to a city the size of Drummondville.
Construction has started on the first campus located in Lévis. Completion is scheduled for November 2022. The daily Le Soleil described the main features recently. QScale is planning a second branch in the Ecoparc de Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, on the South Shore of Montreal, just behind the commuter train station.
“Saint-Bruno would be half the size of that of Lévis, our flagship. Ultimately, our vision is to be present in the main regions of Quebec.”
— MARTIN BOUCHARD
The unveiling of financial and strategic partners will be done soon. “We would like to make an announcement in the next few months, if not the next few weeks. We are going to announce our plan to become the world's top 3 in computing. We must have our food autonomy, but also our calculation autonomy, ”emphasizes Mr. Bouchard.
The serial entrepreneur, along with private investors, invested 30 million to start the project. The rest of the financial package will be revealed at the time of the official announcement. "We are working very hard to ensure that the ownership of the company remains entirely in Quebec. "
We are talking about big bucks: from 2 to 3 billion for the Lévis complex, 1 billion for the Saint-Bruno complex.
What is it about?
QScale aims to be a data processing campus with high computational density. Campuses seek to meet the needs of machine learning, the demand for which is growing with the arrival of artificial intelligence in enterprises. Consider the data calculations required to safely move autonomous vehicles forward. Mr. Bouchard cites Tesla, Volkswagen, Pfizer, and Goldman Sachs as potential customers.
“Compared to what you would find in a conventional data center, our fridge-sized server cabinets will have five times the processing capacity. It's going to heat up even more, ” notes the 48-year-old entrepreneur. Quebec has the advantage of having clean and cheap energy.
This type of infrastructure is only just beginning to emerge in the world.
“There is not yet a leader in high density processing. Americans like Colovore, in Santa Clara, and ScaleMatrix, in San Diego, are powered by fossil fuels, without heat recovery, and with high electricity costs. We will be at least 10 times bigger than them only with Lévis.”
— MARTIN BOUCHARD
The business plan provides for the recovery of heat released by servers to heat agricultural greenhouses.
"We want to contribute to the food self-sufficiency of the province with a potential of 400 hectares of greenhouses just for the first campus," he insists. However, all greenhouse vegetable production is currently grown on 123 hectares. "For this component, we are in discussion with several players," says Mr. Bouchard. Consultant for Savoura, André Michaud confides that he has never been contacted by QScale. He said he was puzzled when he learned about the outline of the project.
"We have a greenhouse robotization project using artificial intelligence to potentially automate physically demanding jobs," retorts Mr. Bouchard. In Lévis, we have adjacent farmland which is equivalent to the equivalent of 80 football fields, enough to produce 2,880 tonnes of raspberries and 83,200 tonnes of tomatoes. "
That's not all. Mr. Bouchard wants to add to these complexes an innovation zone specializing in artificial intelligence. “The AI Zone is the missing link between basic AI research and its application in manufacturing companies. "
IQ analyzes the file
The pharaonic project has appeared on the radar screen of the Legault government. "We heard about it," said an unnamed government source. It’s an interesting file that is being looked at.
It is at Investissement Québec (IQ) that the file is analyzed. The state's financial arm was on the list of organizations QScale wanted to solicit, after being listed in the Quebec Lobbyists Registry.
As for electricity, "we already have agreements with Hydro-Quebec. Everything is in order. They are very happy. I cannot disclose anything, it will be announced. It’s very large, ”says Mr. Bouchard.
It is the user-pays principle that applies when the promoter of a project wants to have access to the Hydro-Québec network. QScale's land is conveniently located near high-power substations.
For data centers, hydro rates typically start at 4.04 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) when the economic development rate applies. If applicable, the price is 5.05 ¢ / kWh.
CONTENT AND IMAGE SOURCED FROM LA PRESSE
Lead photo: QScale has started construction of the first high-intensity data processing complex in Lévis. Completion is scheduled for November 2022; Image sourced from QScale
June 3, 2021
WRITTEN BY:
ANDRÉ DUBUC, AND
JULIEN ARSENAULT
North America’s Indoor Farms Plan To Add 500-Plus Acres Over Next 5 Years
“Now that the market has established itself, you’re going to see a lot of technology in the next few years come on to the market. New hardware, new sensors, new control systems, new lighting, new physical structures, new growing system automation, robotics, AI — you name it.”
June 7, 2021 Lauren Manning
Indoor farming analytics provider Artemis has just released its annual State of Indoor Farming report, which reflects a survey of 205 enterprise horticulture facilities across the US and Canada. Put together in partnership with research firm Startle, the report’s goal is to assess where the region’s industry is today – as well as giving growers a voice around the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities it presents.
It covers everything from container farms to high-tech glass greenhouses and vertical farms.
“One thing we did this year that was different from last time was asking things like, ‘How are you actually getting capital? How are you getting contracts with buyers? How did the mechanics work to make sure that you can actually expand and build projects?'” Artemis co-founder and CEO Allison Kopf tells AFN.
“There are some really interesting tidbits that might go unnoticed, like the small number of people who indicated that part of their expansion plan includes packing operations. I think this is probably driven by Covid-19 and the supply chain holes that we saw. Doing more on-site packing and increasing on-site capacity is very different from field ag.”
A few other notable findings from the report include:
77% of respondents are growing multiple crops while 23% are growing a single crop.
The three most commonly cultivated crops indoors are leafy greens (26% of total), herbs (20%), and microgreens (16%). Tomatoes (10%), cucumbers (8%), peppers (8%), ornamentals (6%), and strawberries (6%) round out the list.
The average revenue reported by growers selling the leading indoor crop, leafy greens, is $7.82 per pound.
Inputs remain one of the biggest drivers of operational costs for indoor growers with average annual costs for seeds ($24,989), grow media ($19,190), and nutrients ($17,510) among the most expensive.
Retail and grocery outlets (28%) remain the dominant sales channel for indoor growers, followed by direct-to-consumer outlets (26%) and wholesale accounts (17%).
Indoor growers are also eager to expand their footprints. Roughly three-quarters have expansion plans that they aim to execute in the next five years. If they are successful in their endeavors, they’ll add a predicted 544 acres to North America’s indoor farming industry.
Technology adoption indoors
The indoor farming industry has a big appetite for technology, according to the Artemis report. Just over a third of respondents are using mainly tablets and mobile phones to run their daily operations, with 24% using desktop computers. Six percent have adopted barcode scanners.
When considering new technologies, 39% of indoor growers are eager to find solutions to manage operations more efficiently. Lowering the cost of production (20%) and increasing yields (19%) are also high on the tech discovery list.
Investing in technology and understanding it is a critical ingredient for success, according to Kopf.
“Now that the market has established itself, you’re going to see a lot of technology in the next few years come on to the market. New hardware, new sensors, new control systems, new lighting, new physical structures, new growing system automation, robotics, AI — you name it,” she says.
But the increase in choice comes with its own problems. Some growers may find themselves overwhelmed by the flood of new offerings, or lack the time to research the optimal products for them.
“Being able to find the right stuff to operate the facility the way you want for the crops that you are growing is going to be really, really critical. [Tech vendors] that differentiate based on product are going to stand above the rest,” Kopf suggests.
This could include products that help indoor farms prove they are carbon neutral or negative, opening up a new world of branding and marketing opportunities.
Advancements in breeding technology are also starting to open the door to new types of crop cultivation. As developments in genetics unlock the right varieties for indoor conditions, the industry will be better equipped to move beyond leafy greens and herbs.
Suited for public markets
As more indoor farming startups raise substantial rounds or take their companies public — like AppHarvest and Aerofarms have done recently through SPAC mergers — questions are bubbling up around whether the momentum can last.
For Kopf, the fact that indoor farms are producing tangible products differentiates them from some of the other hyped subsectors within agrifoodtech. Indoor farming operations can also involve substantial physical infrastructure, making them well suited for public markets, she says – while they can also tick the increasingly important ESG box for investors. As a result, she sees more SPAC deals and IPOs on the horizon.
There’s also room left for indoor farming to expand in certain geographies where massive consumer markets await.
“If you look at the Netherlands or Spain, markets where greenhouse production is commonplace, we’re really behind in the US. If you’ve got plenty of room to grow – that changes the dynamic,” Kopf says.
“I don’t think we are anywhere near where we will be in the next five to 10 years, which to me indicates you’re not in a bubble. You’re in the early stages of a transitional period for an industry as a whole.”
FRANCE: Designs Unveiled For The World's Largest Single-Domed Greenhouse
French architecture firm Coldefy has revealed its latest ambitious project: the largest single-domed greenhouse in the entire world. Spanning over 20,000 square meters (215,278 square feet) the gigantic energy self-sufficient structure, christened "Tropicalia," is set to be completed in 2024 in the Cote d'Opale, or Opal Coast, in France
14-05-2021 | CNN Style
Written by: Leah DolanMegan C. Hills, CNN
French architecture firm Coldefy has revealed its latest ambitious project: the largest single-domed greenhouse in the entire world. Spanning over 20,000 square meters (215,278 square feet) the gigantic energy self-sufficient structure, christened "Tropicalia," is set to be completed in 2024 in the Cote d'Opale, or Opal Coast, in France.
Designs will be on display from May 22 to November 21 at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, where Coldefy and interdisciplinary not-for-profit Zuecca Projects will showcase architectural models, sketches and videos detailing the grand plans for the dome.
Renderings revealed ahead of the international exhibition show a sleek dome nestled into the lush, rolling plains of France's natural landscape. Described by Coldefy on its website as a "bubble of harmony," the structure -- which will house a tropical forest featuring a range of flora and fauna, from orchids and butterflies to fish and reptiles -- was built to incorporate the natural environment. As such, the 35-meter-high (115-foot) design is partially embedded in the ground and blends into the landscape with the addition of a second outer wall of greenery.
The roof will be crafted from pressurized thermal pillows set into an aluminum frame -- they are similar to the cushions used in a grouping of domed greenhouses at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England. Inside, the dome will be heated to 82.4°F, a temperature that ensures "luxuriant vegetation," according to the press statement. A technology called Terraotherm will recycle the structure's thermal energy, with surplus heat siphoned to surrounding buildings.
The "bubble of harmony" will blend into the natural landscape of the French coast. Credit: Octav Tirziu/Zuecca Project Space
Like many exhibiting at the Venice Biennale this year -- which follows the altruistic theme "How will we live together?" -- Coldefy's founding architect Thomas Coldefy designed Tropicalia with the health of the planet in mind. For Coldefy, the data surrounding climate change is too often consumed "unwillingly," he said in a press statement, and its oversaturation means the data can quickly become "a new source of anxiety." Tropicalia, however, is meant to be a place of wonder as well as education, providing an opportunity to experience the fragility of the earth's ecosystem up close.
Elsewhere in the biennale, environmental concerns are set to dominate the show. The Nordic pavilion will be transformed into an experimental co-housing project aiming to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions by architects Helen & Hard. Meanwhile, the Taiwan pavilion will spotlight five existing architectural projects that explore the island's ongoing dialogue with nature and investigate how Taiwan's current population of 23 million can be sustained inside its ecologically diverse landscape.
Lead Photo: Credit: Octav Tirziu/Zuecca Project Space
Growing Lettuce Under Transparent Solar Cells
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has shown that using semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while still cultivating viable crops of lettuce
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has shown that using semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while still cultivating viable crops of lettuce.
The research found that red lettuce can be grown in greenhouses with OSCs that filter out the wavelengths of light used to generate solar power. The researchers grew crops of red leaf lettuce in greenhouse chambers from seed to full maturity under constant conditions, apart from the lighting regime.
A control group of lettuces was exposed to the full spectrum of white light, while the rest were dived into three experimental groups. Each of those groups was exposed to light through different types of filters that absorbed wavelengths of light equivalent to what different types of semi-transparent solar cells would absorb.
To determine the effect of removing various wavelengths of light, the researchers assessed a host of plant characteristics, such as leaf number, leaf size, and lettuces weight, as well as how much CO2 the plants absorbed and the levels of various antioxidants. “Not only did we find no meaningful difference between the control group and the experimental groups, but we also didn’t find any significant difference between the different filters,” said study co-author Brendan O’Connor.
“We were a little surprised – there was no real reduction in plant growth or health,” added Heike Sederoff, co-author of the study and professor of plant biology. “It means the idea of integrating transparent solar cells into greenhouses can be done.”
Lead photo caption: The study suggests transparent solar panels will not affect lettuce crop growth
New Solar Greenhouse With A Window To The Future Opens
The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels
10-05-2021 | Farm Online
AUSTRALIA, Perth- The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse has been opened at Murdoch University's new grains research precinct in Perth. The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
SOLAR GREENHOUSE: The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse at Perth's Murdoch University uses three different versions of ClearVue Technologies' transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
The ClearVue technology turns windows into a generator of renewable energy.
The facility will be used by Murdoch University geneticist Professor Chengdao Li and his team to develop new plant breeding technologies and use them to develop commercial crop varieties.
Murdoch University Vice-Chancellor Professor Eeva Leinonen said the ClearVue greenhouse project was a number of years in the making but represented what universities and industry could achieve when they worked together.
"Murdoch's research strategy is focused on food, health, and the environment and the interconnections between each," Professor Leinonen said.
"I am delighted ClearVue has become an important new collaborator as we seek answers to wicked global problems - increased food demand, environmental sustainability and food safety."
Constructed using a $1.6 million grant from the federal government's AusIndustry Co-operative Research Centre Projects program, the greenhouse uses clear solar glass that not only lets natural sunlight through but also generates power using the unwanted UV and IR light wavelengths and converts these to power from photovoltaics at the perimeter of the window.
SOLAR VISIONARY: ClearVue executive chairman Victor Rosenberg.
The ClearVue greenhouse has a range of sensors that record and present data in real-time providing scientists with accurate information relating to conditions like temperature, humidity, and the amount of light that plants are receiving.
This information is used to make automatic adjustments to air conditioning, lighting, fans, louvres, blinds, and reticulation systems which in turn allows scientists to maintain a constant micro-climate (23 to 26 degrees C) that provides optimum growing conditions - all while being powered by the energy generated by the ClearVue glass.
ClearVue Technologies executive chairman and founder Victor Rosenberg said ClearVue was also looking to expands into Japan, the US, and Europe.
He hoped to develop a carbon sink that would capture all the carbon produced by the various equipment in the greenhouse and turn it into food-grade carbon dioxide which could be fed to the plants to boost growth.
ROOM WITH A VIEW: Murdoch University's new clear solar glass greenhouse.
"Estimates indicate the world's arable land has reduced by one third in the past 40 years," Mr Rosenberg said.
"By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to be urbanized, which will further impact the availability of land for agricultural production."
He said the ability to control the microclimate within the ClearVue greenhouse created an optimum growing environment to achieve higher yields.
Leafy plants required protection from harmful UV rays in the same way humans need to protect their skin, he said.
Plants did this naturally by producing a waxy substance that shielded them from harmful UV rays.
Mr Rosenberg said ClearVue glass blocked these UV rays so the energy required by plants to create the protective layer on leafy vegetables can be redirected to growing more produce.
Source and Photo courtesy of Farmonline
Transparent Solar Cells Boost Lettuce Farming While Decreasing Energy Use
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it
New research found transparent solar cells can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while cultivating crops
29 April 2021
Greenhouse farming of lettuce can be sustainable and energy-efficient under transparent solar cells.
That’s according to a new study by a team of researchers at North Carolina State University, which suggests semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity, reduce energy use and cultivate lettuce.
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it.
Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the research found that red lettuce can be grown in greenhouses with OSCs that filter out the wavelengths of light used to generate solar power.
This means it is feasible to use transparent solar panels in greenhouses to cover their high electricity needs while not shrinking the crop yield.
Doctor Carr Ho, Research Scientist at NextGen Nano, said: “Greenhouses are used to grow plants because they drastically increase yield in non-native climates while lowering water consumption and pesticide use compared to conventional farming.
“But greenhouse glazing has poor thermal insulation, so heating and ventilation systems need to be installed to help maintain optimal conditions. Along with supplemental lighting, this lights to large, unsustainable energy consumptions.”
Lead Image: North Carolina State University
Singapore Shows What Serious Urban Farming Looks Like
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how susceptible countries are to turmoil in the global food supply
MAY 3, 2021
As recently as 1970, nearly one in 10 Singaporeans was engaged in farming or fishing. Now, most of the island is urbanized. The vast majority of apartment complexes in Singapore are public housing, which allows the government to designate their rooftops as agricultural spaces in the public interest.
From what was once Singapore’s largest prison complex — the Queenstown Remand Prison, housing about 1,000 inmates at its peak — an 8,000 square meter urban farm, Edible Garden City (EGC), now bursts with colorful vegetables and fragrant herbs. Co-founded by local resident Bjorn Low in 2012, EGC is one of Singapore’s first urban https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/singapore-shows-what-serious-urban-farming-looks-like initiatives and is located inside the former prison compound. It is one of several efforts in the city-state to strengthen the island’s food security at a grassroots level. “Our goal was and is to encourage more locals to grow their own food and thus help strengthen the city’s food resilience,” says Sarah Rodriguez, EGC’s head of marketing.
RELATED STORIES
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how susceptible countries are to turmoil in the global food supply. This is an issue of particular concern to Singapore, which imports almost 90 percent of its food from more than 170 countries. For several years now, the city authorities have been preparing for just such a crisis. The Singapore Food Authority (SFA) launched its ambitious “30 by 30” initiative in 2019, with the objective of producing 30 percent of Singapore’s nutritional needs locally by the year 2030. Supported by a mix of government grants and incentives, 30 by 30 will test the limits of urban food production. At last count in 2019, the city had 220 farms and was meeting 14 percent of its demand for leafy vegetables, 26 percent for eggs, and 10 percent for fish.
Vertical farms feed an island
As recently as 1970, nearly one in 10 Singaporeans was engaged in farming or fishing, either directly or indirectly. Orchards and pig farms dotted the island, and many residents grew fresh vegetables and raised backyard chickens. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, however, most of these occupations disappeared from the rapidly urbanizing city-state. Competing demands for land use led to agriculture being limited to about one percent of the land. Singapore’s food supply grew increasingly reliant on imports.
That began to change about a decade ago amid serious concerns about Singapore’s heavy reliance on imports. In response, the government backed efforts to shore up the nation’s food security with urban farming. In 2014, the authorities announced a SG$63 million (USD$47 million) Agriculture Productivity Fund to support farms in increasing their outputs by using innovative technologies. Over 100 local farms have benefitted so far.
But with COVID-19 threatening to disrupt the city’s imports, the fear that essential food items may not be available became very real. “People have started to resonate with the need for reliable access to food in their own homes and neighborhoods,” says Cuifen Pui, co-founder of the Foodscape Collective, which works with local communities and natural farming practitioners to transform underutilized public spaces into biodiverse edible community gardens. “Many Singaporeans are connecting with the concept of food security at a personal level.”
EGC, which has designed and built over 260 small produce farms for restaurants, hotels, schools and residences in Singapore, also experienced an increased interest in their foodscaping service. “Our foodscaping team saw a 40 percent increase in inquiries from homeowners between April and June last year,” says Rodriguez.
Pre-pandemic, EGC supplied produce to about 60 restaurants in the city and shipped produce weekly to 40 local families that had signed on to their Citizen Box subscription service. When restaurants shut in April last year, EGC quickly converted its restaurant-supplying beds and systems to grow crops for Citizen Box instead. “A bed that was previously used to grow tarragon for restaurants was repurposed to grow something like kang kong (water spinach) that is more suitable for home cooking,” explains Rodriguez. “We were able to supply three times more households through Citizen Box.” EGC uses natural farming methods like composting for soil regeneration and the use of permaculture techniques, to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimal and the soil remains healthy and productive for future generations.
Currently, EGC also grows kale and chard using hydroponics and microgreens in soil, all of it in a climate-controlled, indoor environment. “We strongly believe that there should be a balance between agritech and natural farming,” says Rodriguez. “We prefer to focus on the wide variety of veggies that grow well in our climate.”
EGC’s focus on natural farming is shared by the Foodscape Collective. It’s co-founder Pui had the opportunity to start a community edible garden in 2013, along with her neighbors. More recently, at the invitation of the National Parks Board and The Winstedt School, the Foodscape Collective, together with the local community, is transforming land in two locations using permaculture techniques. “These gardens are multi-functional spaces — to grow edibles, to grow plants for biodiversity, to nature watch, to enhance the soil ecosystem by composting food scraps, or simply just spaces to relax in a busy city,” says Pui.
Edible Garden City, once the largest prison in Singapore, is now an urban farm helping to bolster the city-state’s food security. (Photo courtesy of Edible Garden City)
But with less than one percent of Singapore’s land available for agriculture, 30 by 30 is increasing demand for tech-based solutions that can produce large volumes of food in small spaces. “Technology plays a huge role in Singapore’s food security,” says Prof. Paul Teng, food security expert and Dean of the National Institute of Education International. Rooftop farms like Comcrop — one of the recipients of the government’s SG$30 million (USD$22 million) 30X30 Express grant — and Citiponics are growing greens hydroponically on rooftops.
Since the vast majority of apartment complexes in Singapore are public housing, the government can designate their rooftops as agricultural spaces in the public interest. In 2020, the rooftops of nine multistory car parks in public housing estates were made available for farming by the government.
Other farms like Sustenir are using climate-controlled agriculture to grow their greens entirely indoors. “Singapore will always have to maximize its land and labor productivity for self-production, and this means technology,” says Teng. “It doesn’t make economic sense to produce food in Singapore when there is no comparative advantage, such as with rice and other large area-requiring crops.”
In line with its focus on highly-productive farming, SFA plans to redevelop Lim Chu Kang — an area in the northwest of Singapore covered with traditional farms — into a high-tech agri-cluster, which would triple the output of the area. The redevelopment work is expected to begin in 2024.
Egg production and aquaculture are also being ramped up. Chew’s Agriculture, a household name in Singapore for its farm-fresh eggs, received a 30X30 Express grant to build additional hen houses equipped with technologies to minimize egg breakage and maximize production.
As of 2019, Singapore had 122 sea- and land-based fish farms, with the majority of its offshore fish farms located in the Johor Strait to the north of the island. With these fish farms reaching maximum production levels, potential sites in the southern waters of Singapore are being assessed for suitability and environmental impact. Vertical aquaculture on land is also being viewed as an alternative to increase fish production. Land-based fish farm Apollo Aquaculture recently made news with its upcoming eight-story, state-of-the-art farm.
On the public-facing side, the SFA is encouraging citizens to buy locally farmed food, emphasizing its freshness and nutritive value. A new logo SG Fresh Produce was launched to make all locally grown produce easily identifiable in supermarkets.
As Singapore moves ahead with its 30 by 30 plans, it will still need to import the majority of its food. Not far from Lim Chu Kang is Sungei Kadut, one of Singapore’s oldest industrial estates, which will be redeveloped in a phased manner into an agri-tech innovation hub. “The government is hoping to develop the country into a regional agrifood tech hub for innovations that can offer technology exports to the region,” says Teng. “By helping other producing countries with technologies that can up their production, they will have more for Singapore to import.”
This story was originally published in Reasons to Be Cheerful. It is reprinted here with permission.
Next City is one of few independent news outlets covering urbanism’s efforts to achieve a more equitable city; including how to bring people out of poverty, empower business owners of color, connect us with sustainable technology, center community-based cultural knowledge, house the homeless, and more. Ultimately, it’s about how we care for each other, and we need your support to continue our work.
Anne Pinto Rodrigues is a Netherlands-based freelance journalist, writing on a broad range of topics under social and environmental justice. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, CS Monitor, Yes!, Ensia, and several other international publications.
Lead Photo: (Photo courtesy of Comcrop)
Sustainably Goals Urges Architect To Build A Greenhouse Around Former Fruit Farm
As decided by the municipality of Gooik, visitors can now see the refurbished agricultural buildings enclosed within a greenhouse-like structure, this way learning more about the countryside of Belgium
Is it a greenhouse, is it an educational center, is it a former fruit farm? It is all in one. A former fruit farm in Gooik, Belgium, is now functioning as an educational center. As decided by the municipality of Gooik, visitors can now see the refurbished agricultural buildings enclosed within a greenhouse-like structure, this way learning more about the countryside of Belgium. Architect Jo Taillieu: "We wanted a generous building that could provide the necessary comfort to all users of the center, even in bad weather, and provide an anchor point for exploring the Pajottenland.”
The old farmhouse had been used as an education center already for years, but the project became to big to be run by volunteers completely. That’s why the municipality bought it and realized further expansion plans.
Interwoven
"Paddenbroek is by no means inconspicuous. In the hilly Pajottenland region, landscape, nature, heritage, and culture have been closely interwoven for centuries. Maintaining that balance was one of the major goals," architect Jo Taillieu explains. "The farmstead and especially the outbuildings were in a bad state and unsuitable for achieving the intended objectives. The link with the context was almost non-existent. The first idea - a classic renovation - was discarded, as was a new building, because it was unrealistic and did not meet the task that could be expected of an educational and tourist center. We, therefore, opted for a roof that would cover the farmstead, the historic baking oven, and the space around it."
Photo courtesy Jo Tailleu
Sustainability was one of the main goals of the construction. The dilapidated outbuildings were dismantled and the farmstead and the baking oven incorporated, restored, and insulated with moisture-regulating wood-wool cement boards and loam. Only these rooms and the offices can be heated. Thus, heating costs are sustainably limited to a few cores in the building and not everything needs to be air-conditioned. Inside the unheated greenhouse, therefore, there is an intermediate climate. Visitors are sheltered from rain and wind and can still enjoy the magnificent view of the surroundings. Upstairs are two more multi-purpose rooms that can be used as meeting rooms.
According to Stefan De Clerq, one of the business managers of the greenhouse construction company, the challenge was mostly the size and complexity of the project, as the features of this construction did not allow for a basic model. We created a unique truss and steel construction where each step was carefully monitored. All steel components were produced in our own workshops. This challenge was brought to a successful conclusion by the close cooperation between our draftsmen, our production team, and the external architects. Our own typical aluminum profiles and glass, applied in the roof and wall, also contribute to the elegant appearance of this nevertheless quite robust realization."
The construction of a complex like that of Paddenbroek in a rural area is not obvious and initially met with the necessary reservations, as could be expected. The fact that the municipality was prepared to go along with the story of architect Jo Taillieu and project manager Dries Deleye, therefore, shows vision and insight. Now that the construction is complete, everyone agrees that Gooik has gained a valuable multipurpose center that responds to ecological sustainability and from which the residents can also derive maximum benefit.
Lead photo: Photo courtesy Jo Tailleu
Publication date: Thu 29 Apr 2021
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Vertical Farmer LettUsGrow Sets Sights on Commercial Greenhouse Market With New Harper Adams Partnership
New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts
Jessica Rawnsley
29 April 2021
EXCLUSIVE: New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts.
Vertical farming technology is poised to branch out into the commercial greenhouse sector, after indoor farming specialist LettUsGrow announced a major new partnership with Harper Adams, the UK's leading specialist agri-food university.
The partnership will enable a long-running trial to span across most of 2021, which will explore the environmental impact and compare growth data from two irrigation systems, aeroponics and hydroponics, in different settings: an aeroponic vertical farm and greenhouse, and a hydroponic greenhouse.
"Our food supply chain needs to be diversified to achieve productivity and stability, which means maximising the benefits of new technologies in different horticultural environments," said Charlie Guy, co-founder and CEO of LettUsGrow. "The advanced greenhouse industry is a huge part of modern food production and is entering an exciting new phase of growth to help meet global production and sustainability targets. We want to help this industry to grow more, sustainably."
According to company figures, vertical farms use 95 per cent less fertiliser and 95 per cent less water than open field farming. LettUsGrow has evolved a system for utilising aeroponics where rather than soak plant roots in water and nutrients, they are suspended and sprayed with mist. The company claims the approach consumes 30 per cent less water than a conventional hydroponic system, while produce grows an average 70 per cent faster. While a wide range of crops can be grown with the tech, the initial focus will be on growing kale and pea shoots.
The company has also developed Ostara, a smart control and farm management software systems, that will be used within the greenhouse and vertical farm trials. Ostara can be used to tailor lighting, irrigation, nutrient doses, and environment to individual crops within the same farm, as well as being used to collect a wide range of data sets, the company said.
To date vertical farms have been hampered by the considerable ongoing costs of generating artificial light. As such a key feature of the trials will be to identify whether an increase in energy use is balanced by an increase in farm productivity.
However, LettUsGrow is optimistic the application of its advanced aeroponics and Ostara technologies can deliver benefits for commercial greenhouses as well as vertical farms.
"Bringing aeroponics into a greenhouse setting is really exciting, as traditionally they run on hydroponics," said Ricardo Lopes, research scientist at LettUsGrow and the project's research lead. "There has been little research into this before so we're starting from scratch. There is huge potential in the opportunity to combine the precision of high-tech greenhouses with optimised aeroponic irrigation - meaning we could offer the plant the exact amount of water it needs, when it needs it, alongside the unique environmental control of greenhouse technology. The prospect of using aeroponics to decrease water usage within greenhouses could be a very important step in making greenhouse production even more sustainable and less energy demanding."
His comments were echoed by Dr Laura Vickers, senior lecturer in plant biology at Harper Adams, who said: "This is a particularly exciting project, greenhouses provide the half-way house between field based production and total controlled environment agriculture. They are excellent systems to apply to urban spaces, such as building rooftops. Quantifying the performance of technologies developed by LettUsGrow in our campus greenhouses, opens up the ability to assess resource efficiency, and evaluate how crop production could work in a variety of landscapes that could bring an array of stakeholders that we just don't see at the moment."
The hope is the partnership could represent a further step forward for a vertical farming sector that advocates maintain could make a huge contribution to efforts to bolster food production as climate impacts escalate. "Indoor farms can be deployed in areas without any fertile land," India Langley, LettUsGrow communications lead, told BusinessGreen. "That could be deserts, cities. There's one currently in the South Pole. As well as providing food, it takes the pressure off land that's already so stretched."
Lead photo: Credit: LettUsGrow
INDIA: VIDEO - University Student Runs Farm In Kuala Lumpur
Ah Pa, a well-known YouTube cook recently visited Sean, a university student living in Kuala Lumpur who runs his own farm. As Sean calls it, his E-farm is located in the middle of the city
Ah Pa, a well-known YouTube cook recently visited Sean, a university student living in Kuala Lumpur who runs his own farm. As Sean calls it, his E-farm is located in the middle of the city.
The self-built foil-greenhouse comprises 1000 sq. ft. and is filled with vertical growing towers and an aquaponic system. Currently, the farm has 1000 tilapia that are fed by the plants grown in Sean's greenhouse. "We're growing more than 20 plants here," says Sean, whereas we can grow up to 60 different plants and herbs."
Click on the video below to hear Sean's story.
23 Apr 2021
GREECE: 15 Hectare Semi-Closed Hydroponic Greenhouse
With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023
Greece Investment Group Closes Funding On
Hydroponic Greenhouse
The Aurarius Investment Group successfully closed its first round of financing in the first quarter of 2021 covering development activities for Aurarius’ inaugural hydroponic greenhouse/energy plant in Greece. With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023.
The facility will be composed of a ~15-hectare semi-closed hydroponic greenhouse farm combined with a ~10 MWh CHP facility. Aurarius intends to develop a portfolio of hydroponic farms combined with energy plants across Greece and other Southern European Countries, aiming to grow high-quality vegetables using the most modern and safe hydroponic greenhouse technology – with an eye both to social impact and sound economic returns.
For more information:
Aurarius Investment Group
https://www.aurariusgroup.com/
BrightFarms Hosting Virtual Event To Open North Carolina Farm
BrightFarms is one of the latest, announcing that it will be hosting a grand opening of its new state-of-the-art farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina of May 7
April 14th, 2021
- by Lilian Diep
HENDERSONVILLE, NC - As spring creates a new liveliness in the air, companies across our industry are preparing to host events to inspire connection between members. BrightFarms is one of the latest, announcing that it will be hosting a grand opening of its new state-of-the-art farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina of May 7. In addition to industry members, the event will be open to the public and will educate those in attendance about BrightFarms’ vision to scale farming across the U.S.
Throughout the past year, BrightFarms has transformed the Hendersonville site to include sustainable, high-tech agricultural capabilities. The facility is one of the largest indoor salad farms in the Carolinas, expected to grow more than 2 million pounds of salad per year for supermarkets in the Carolinas and throughout the Southeast.
BrightFarms is hosting a grand opening ceremony for the unveiling of its new state-of-the-art farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina on May 7
The grand opening ceremony will be held via Zoom and will offer participants a first-hand look at the company’s most technologically advanced farm yet. According to a press release, the new greenhouse will add to BrightFarms’ network of sustainable greenhouse farms, serving markets including Charlotte, NC; Winston-Salem, NC; Greenville, SC; Spartanburg, SC; and Atlanta, GA. The grower already has existing farms in operation in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.
Featured at the event will be prominent speakers that include North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis; Sam Kass, former White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition; and Steve Platt, BrightFarms CEO. The ceremony will begin with the speakers and conclude with a virtual tour hosted by Founder, Paul Lightfoot, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
BrightFarms has transformed the Hendersonville site to include sustainable, high-tech agricultural capabilities, making it one of the largest indoor salad farms in the Carolinas
To sign up to attend the event, click here.
As BrightFarms and other greenhouse growers across the industry continue to expand, AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest.
CHINA: $500 Billion To Bring All World Crop Farming Indoors
China will build 2 Million hectares (20 billion square meters) of controlled environment greenhouses by 2025 and this will produce half of their vegetables and crop needs
Brian Wang | April 3, 2021
China will build 2 Million hectares (20 billion square meters) of controlled environment greenhouses by 2025 and this will produce half of their vegetables and crop needs. Temperature, humidity, lighting would all be under controlled conditions. It would not matter if there were new extreme temperature swings outside or if there was drought. The needed food and water would be immune to any projected climate change over the next 500-1000 years.
Alibaba sells greenhouses for as little as 70 cents per square meter. The bulk, high volume cost to the manufacturer is about 50 cents per square meter. If installation labor costs are 50% of the 2 million hectare project then it would cost about $20 billion for the 2 million hectare project. $40 billion would be sufficient for China to make 40 billion square meters of climate-controlled greenhouses which could produce all vegetables and crops. It would cost $260 billion to make greenhouses for the food production of the entire world.
Indoor climate-controlled agriculture has almost no need for pesticides and uses 7% of the water. This would take up 3-5% of the total land area of open-air farming.
Additional funds could be provided for higher demand from population growth and for some level of automation, sensors and other systems.
There is an economic analysis of smaller scale greenhouse and vertical farming. The all-in delivered cost of a pound of greens grown in a commercial greenhouse is estimated to be $2.33 per pound. It cost $18.3 million to build 280,000 square feet (2.6 hectares) of commercial greenhouse in the USA. The total cost to grow would be just over $3.0 million per year for 2 million pounds of greens or $1.52 per pound. BrightFarms employs 165 people for the three greenhouses. $1.10 per pound consists of employee costs.
The cost estimates for greenhouses could be brought down to $1 per pound or less with large-scale construction. Below are costs for 2.8 hectare systems in the USA.
There is value to having national food security and not having to depend on imported food. Ten billion to twenty billion dollars per year in indoor farm subsidies closes the cost gap with open-air farming.
China’s controlled environment system will have a lot of automation and lower construction costs because of the massive scale and lower costs in China.
PNAS – Wheat yield potential in controlled-environment vertical farms
Wheat growing is vastly more land and water-efficient but costs are not yet competitive with open-air farming.
Wheat is the most important food crop worldwide, grown across millions of hectares. Wheat yields in the field are usually low and vary with weather, soil, and crop management practices. We show that yields for wheat grown in indoor vertical farms under optimized growing conditions would be several hundred times higher than yields in the field due to higher yields, several harvests per year, and vertically stacked layers. Wheat grown indoors would use less land than field-grown wheat, be independent of climate, reuse most water, exclude pests and diseases, and have no nutrient losses to the environment. However, given the high energy costs for artificial lighting and capital costs, it is unlikely to be economically competitive with current market prices. Wheat grown on a single hectare of land in a 10-layer indoor vertical facility could produce from 700 ± 40 t/ha (measured) to a maximum of 1,940 ± 230 t/ha (estimated) of grain annually under optimized temperature, intensive artificial light, high CO2 levels, and a maximum attainable harvest index. Such yields would be 220 to 600 times the current world average annual wheat yield of 3.2 t/ha. Independent of climate, season, and region, indoor wheat farming could be environmentally superior, as less land area is needed along with reuse of most water, minimal use of pesticides and herbicides, and no nutrient losses.
Meat production could also be brought under climate control. The feed for cows, pigs, chicken and fish could be either brought into greenhouses or converted to insects. Insect feed can be twenty to one hundred times more space and water-efficient.
Meat can be converted into cell-based production in large vats. This would be similar to the industrial production of beer.
There would be zero risk of mass starvation caused by temperature or drought-induced crop failure.
There may not be a need to bring all crops indoors. But if China brings half of all of their crops indoors in five years it clearly shows that civilization can bring all crops and farming indoors at any time. The cost as I have shown is less than 0.5% of global GDP for the crops and a few percent to deal with the meat and feed as well.
It is likely only truly economical (even with China’s mass production) to bring vegetable and fruit farming indoors. If China has indoor vegetable and fruit production at $1 per pound then other countries could follow at different levels based upon how cost-competitive indoor farming is against open-air farming for a particular crop. There is also the question if people will pay more for greenhouse crops. Greenhouses allow for year-round crop production. This means consistent prices and availability for fruits and vegetable year round. It also means indoor farms can be inside of cities for fruit and vegetables that are fresh from the tree and vine. The greenhouse crops would also be mostly or completely free of pesticides. Indoor farming share will grow as efficiency and costs are improved.
I think 20-60% of all crops (mainly higher-value fruits and vegetables) globally will go indoors by 2030 and gradually more as indoor becomes a lower cost and superior product to outdoor farming. Greenhouse farmed fruits and vegetables can have a higher quality versus outdoor grown fruits and vegetables.
Some of the advantages of protected culture greenhouse crops are:
Season extension is just one of the advantages gained from greenhouse growing. Protected crops are less apt to be damaged by wind, rain, and hail so the percentage of marketable products is higher. Yield is often higher as well, if you can provide optimum growing conditions for each crop. Greenhouses protect crops from many diseases, particularly those that are soilborne and splash onto plants in the rain. And greenhouse crops may be protected from common field pests. Of course, greenhouse crops have their own particular problems such as foliar disease, aphids, and whiteflies, so vigilance is still required.
SOURCES- Alibaba, PNAS, agfunder news
Adding A Ground To Air Heat Transfer To An Existing Greenhouse
"A Ceres GAHT (ground to air heat transfer) System is our patented geothermal climate control technology that has helped our growers maintain comfortable growing conditions, year-round, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional HVAC system," states Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
"A Ceres GAHT (ground to air heat transfer) System is our patented geothermal climate control technology that has helped our growers maintain comfortable growing conditions, year-round, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional HVAC system," states Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. In this blog, they give advice on how to install a GAHT around a greenhouse.
The GAHT system was designed to be built with and integrate underneath a Ceres passive solar greenhouse, but it’s also possible to add a GAHT system to an existing non-Ceres or Ceres greenhouse. To do so you would need to install the GAHT pipes in the ground outside of the greenhouse footprint. Trying to install a GAHT system underneath an existing structure is generally not cost-effective nor easily accomplished. Depending on what you are using the GAHT for (heating or cooling), installing the GAHT on the outside of your greenhouse, rather than underneath, may be more beneficial for new greenhouse construction.
In this blog, we will cover GAHT installation and what makes the most sense for your climate and growing situation.
How does the GAHT work?
A GAHT system works by circulating greenhouse air underground through a series of perforated tubes. The air flowing through the tubes is either heated or cooled by the thermal mass of the soil before it’s exhausted back into the greenhouse. Depending on where you live (cold or hot climate), the GAHT system will be primarily used for heating or cooling.
The GAHT & heating
If your primary focus is keeping the greenhouse warm, it is ideal to have the GAHT system under the greenhouse because the structure will help insulate the soil underneath. Wherever you install your GAHT, It is important to insulate the sides of the system to retain as much heat as possible in the soil surrounding the pipes. We recommend insulating the outside of the greenhouse foundation if building the GAHT system underneath.
If you build an exterior GAHT, be sure to insulate the top of the system as well as the sides. A good location for an exterior GAHT, is a place with lots of sunshine, like the south or west side of the greenhouse.
The GAHT & Cooling
If your primary focus is keeping the greenhouse cool, it is ideal to have the GAHT on the outside of the greenhouse and deeper in the ground where the soil is cooler during the summer. In this case, no insulation is needed as you want to allow the heat to transfer away from the GAHT. You also want to install the system in a shaded area on the north or east side of the greenhouse. If you are going to install the GAHT system underneath the greenhouse, either because you’re limited on space or some other reason, the same recommendations about insulation and depth apply: no insulation, and the deeper the better. Installing the system deeper into the earth requires additional safety precautions to be taken to address the risk of soil collapse and personnel engulfment.
What’s important to note is that a GAHT is really only suitable for cooling a greenhouse in late Fall, Winter and early Spring. In the Summer, the sun’s energy is so powerful that the GAHT would need to be very, very large (making it very expensive) to cool the greenhouse entirely on its own. If you are able to cool the greenhouse with an evaporative cooler, this is almost always a less expensive, and higher performance option for cooling in the summer.
A benefit to cooling your greenhouse with a GAHT during the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring is that it allows you to keep your greenhouse sealed. This prevents shocking the plants with cold air from ventilation and allows CO2 supplementation to increase plant growth during these periods.
Sizing your GAHT system
One general rule for installing an external GAHT, whether you’ll mostly use it for heating or cooling, is that the excavation footprint of the GAHT system should be similar to the footprint of the greenhouse. For example, a 12×24 greenhouse requires an approximate area of 12×24 for the GAHT. This footprint correlation will ensure that there is a sufficient rate of soil-to-air heat exchange. For cooling applications, performance can be increased by increasing the size of the footprint.
For more information:
Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
1898 S. Flatiron Ct, Ste 125 Boulder,
CO 80301 USA
303-495-5006
info@ceresgs.com
www.ceresgs.com
Publication date: Wed 7 Apr 2021