Energy as a service supports microgrids for vertical farming

Energy as a service supports microgrids for vertical farming

Vertical farming is becoming more popular for many good reasons. Indoor farm operations can yield more produce using the same amount of land space as traditional farming and they can be situated closer to urban centers where the food is consumed. Indoor farmers can control climate conditions, which is useful as weather patterns become more unstable. These crops require only a fraction of the water needed for traditional farms and plants can be cultivated without the use of pesticides.

However, vertical farms have their challenges. A tremendous amount of electricity is needed to power HVAC equipment and the lights used to substitute for sunlight in the indoor environment. According to an article published by GreenBiz, "The energy load varies greatly depending on the size and type of operations, but it could be between 500 kilowatts and 15 megawatts — more than a retail box store and less than a data farm."

Click here to read more.

Image: Urban Organics

Source: Energy Central

Share