What is Vertical Farm Technology?
As vertical farms are indoor factory-like artificial growing environments, they are heavily reliant on technology to create the ideal conditions for crop growth. It is a successful method of growing specific herbs, fruit and vegetables vertically, bringing them closer to the consumer, reducing transport emissions, overcoming issues of seasonality and allowing higher quality yields to be produced.
The indoor environment removes the risk of damage to crops caused by insects and birds, which is prevalent in traditional farms; therefore, harmful pesticides are not required, improving quality and safety.
Soil conditions, nutrients, lighting, water and ambient temperature are all monitored and optimised, removing the issue of seasonality associated with traditional farming; consumers can now enjoy local produce all year round. The indoor environment also protects crops from adverse weather conditions, which are being made worse by the changing climate conditions due to global warming.
Many vertical farms are served by rainwater harvesting systems, water condensed within the environment can also be recycled, ensuring waste is kept to a minimum. in addition, renewable energy sources are often used to help power the facility, e.g. solar panels.
In some cases, no soil is used when growing crops within a vertical farm; some decide to grow them on membranes and spray them with nutrient-rich liquid. Or some crops are grown in water - “Hydroponics refers to a system where crops are grown with their roots exposed directly to a nutrient-rich water solution” (Regenerative Food and Farming N/A).
As many vertical farms utilise shipping containers or disused factories/warehouses, production can be moved closer to urban areas where demand is highest for fresh crops. This significantly reduces food milage and Co2 emissions. The Guardian reported that the climate impact of food miles is three times greater than previously believed. The study found that fruit and vegetables have the highest food mile emissions because they often need to be refrigerated, and consumers demanded out-of-season foods (The Guardian 2022).
What technology is in vertical farms?
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is at the heart of a vertical farm; it integrates data from multiple sources to create the best environments and gives growers the insights they need to be able to make adjustments, recreate conditions and save recipes for specific crops.
IoT is also used to help monitor the environment and feed this information back to the central system. Sensors are used for lots of different factors ranging from temperature, air quality, soil conditions, Co2, etc. Smart triggers are also used, e.g. irrigation valves, to control water consumption. Smart image processing cameras can be used to review progress and detect the health of a plant as well as when it is ready to be harvested. AI, ML and robotics are now also being used in this space, reducing some of the reliance on human labour and further optimising the process, improving efficiencies.
Air control - Technology can help to ensure the air conditions are the best they can be for each crop’s specific needs. Co2 can be monitored and adjusted, it has been reported that Co2 enrichment promotes growth and increases plant productivity there are different methods used for this enrichment process, some more high-tech and others more traditional.
Airflow is another important aspect as it pushes air through filters, reduces heat, and humidity and circulates Co2 to ensure the plant environment remains optimal at all times.
Humidity also requires technology to review the levels, too much humidity can cause a low-quality crop to grow and can even lead to fungi growth which would result in crop wastage. However, low humidity is also damaging. Dehumidifiers and dehumidification systems have been developed to remove excess moisture from the environment to ensure crops always have the right level of humidity.
Grow lighting system - this is another vital aspect of the vertical farm environment. There are a range of lighting types growers can choose from but LED lights are the most energy-efficient; others include fluorescent, tubular and high-pressure sodium (HPS).
A plant-friendly spectrum (approximately 400–700 nanometres) encourages crops to grow faster and produce higher yields. Having the ability to customise the light spectrum is important for optimisation, as different crops require different conditions to thrive. Adjusting the wavelengths and light algorithms can increase biomass production, enhancing flavour and quality. To discover more about why vertical farms need a controlled lighting environment, click here.
Sterilization tech can also aid with production to help ensure quality is maintained and no bacteria grows, or crops are lost. UV-C lighting is often used for this purpose; it is a chemical-free way of destroying microorganisms.
Dosing systems can also be utilised to ensure each crop receives the right amount of nutrients. This works continuously and is automated; it reviews the pH and EC levels and releases nutrient values as and when needed.