Powering vertical farming with renewables

As the country and the world contemplates how it will feed a booming population in the face of a changing climate, many are touting vertical farming as a viable solution. Proponents say that vertical farming is more sustainable and less wasteful than traditional farming. But producing fruits, vegetables and leafy greens indoors has one major challenge — the cost of powering growing operations. Generating the electricity to satisfy the demand of wide-scale operations could off-set the benefits of vertical farming. Renewable energy could help solve this challenge.

Rethinking our food supply chain

Today, consumers expect the produce section of their local mega mart to be stocked with every variety of fruit and vegetable regardless of the season. To meet those demands, goods are shipped in from all over the world. Your lettuce may come from California while your tomatoes are grown in Mexico. By the time your salad ingredients hit your cart, they may have already taken a trip on a boat, a plane and a truck. Those transportation costs are high — both in terms of fuel and carbon footprint. There is also significant food waste due to spoilage or damage during transport.

Vertical farming takes a different approach. As the name implies, these operations grow crops in containers that are stacked vertically. Often in a windowless warehouse or shipping container, the high-tech facilities use robotics and artificial intelligence to automatically control the indoor environment. Highly efficient LED lights mimic the natural movement of the sun, and hydroponic systems water plant roots growing in a minimal amount of soil.

The benefits of vertical farming

There are many benefits to vertical farming. It uses considerably less water than traditional farming — up to 97% less, according to some reports. Most companies in this space grow organically, which eliminates the fertilizer and pesticide run-off found in conventional farming. This farming method also allows production in regions where certain crops aren't traditionally grown. Vertical farming company Kalera, for example, expects to be able to produce 12 times the lettuce grown conventionally in the state of Georgia.

Unlike the current food supply chain, vertical farms are hyper local. They only sell their crops to consumers or distributors in their community. 80 Acres Farms, a vertical farm startup in Cincinnati, Ohio, recently partnered with supermarket chain Kroger to distribute its goods to local stores. With this partnership, goods are typically on store shelves less than 48 hours after they've been harvested. Not only does this mean less spoilage and lower transportation costs, but the produce tastes better.

One of the biggest challenges preventing the broader adoption of vertical farming is the cost of powering them. Depending on the size of the operation, a vertical farm could use thousands of LED lights. LEDs are efficient, but at scale the costs are significant — they can account for more than half of farm operating expenses. Besides the hefty price tag, there are environmental costs to vertical farming. Demanding more electricity from a grid that is a long way from being decarbonized could offset any of the benefits.

As the price of renewable energy continues to fall, solar and wind-generated electricity could be a solution. Some vertical farming companies are installing solar panels on the roofs of their facilities. When used in conjunction with a battery energy storage system, solar energy could power operations 24/7. Others are partnering with utilities or energy providers to source renewable energy.

Vertical farming combined with clean, renewable power presents a fresh opportunity to get more fresh produce to America's kitchens.