Vertical Farming: Growing Crops in Stacked Layers

Vertical farming is an innovative agricultural technique that involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers, possibly inside greenhouses. It is a space-efficient method that allows farmers to maximize production in urban areas or areas with limited land availability.

In a vertical farming system, crops are grown in vertical racks or towers, with each layer equipped with artificial lighting, irrigation systems, and climate control. This allows farmers to create the ideal growing conditions for each crop, regardless of the external environment.

Main Features

Layout: As already mentioned, farmers cultivate crops on tower-like structures to maximize food production while limiting resource usage.
Light: Cultivators use a combination of artificial and natural light, along with technologies like rotating beds to ensure optimum lighting efficiency.
Sustainability: Vertical farming intends to minimize the exhaustion of natural resources. As a result, this farming technique recycles irrigation water to minimize usage by up to 95%. At the same time, farming indoors requires negligible agrochemicals, thereby saving more resources.
Growing medium: Vertical farming uses soilless agriculture, such as aquaponics, aeroponics, and hydroponics. Cultivators also commonly use coconut husks and peat moss as growing mediums.

Techniques*

Power Consumption in Underground Farming

(Heavily from https://farmonaut.com/blogs/vertical-farming-energy-consumption-per-kg-2025-cea)

(See also https://prism.sustainability-directory.com/scenario/vertical-farm-energy-consumption-and-water-usage/)

Energy is a hot topic when it comes to indoor agriculture. Won't growing food underground require too much energy?

Vertical farming energy consumption per kg refers to the total amount of energy input (usually in kilowatt-hours, kWh) required to grow, harvest, and bring to market one kilogram of produce within a vertical, controlled environment farming system.

The components of energy use in a modern vertical farm are:

LED lighting Mimics sunlight for photosynthesis, often operating 16-24 hours a day, and accounts for up to 60% of a farm's total energy use.
HVAC systems Maintains strict temperature and humidity via heating, cooling, ventilation, and air conditioning. Energy used here is especially high in less-insulated facilities or harsh climates.
Automation and controls Sensors, environmental controls, pumps, and robotics optimize climate and reduce wasted energy/water, but have their own continuous energy draws.
Water and nutrient management Recirculating hydroponic systems use energy-efficient pumps, but also depend on filtration and delivery systems.

(From AI Overview by Google)

Vertical farms consume significantly more energy than traditional greenhouses, with a common figure being 38.8 kWh per kg of produce, compared to 5.4 kWh per kg for greenhouses. The primary drivers of this high consumption are artificial lighting (around 55%) and climate control systems like HVAC (around 30%), which replace sunlight and manage temperature and humidity. However, energy consumption can vary widely based on the specific technology used, with some highly efficient systems consuming much less, such as 600 kWh per square meter per year.

A standard vertical farm might use 2,000 kWh per square meter per year.

Some advanced, more efficient systems, such as those using rotating carousels, have been reported to consume as little as 600 kWh per square meter per year.

Factors Influencing Energy Consumption Per Kg in Vertical Farming

Let's break down the influencing factors:

Crop Type
- Leafy greens (e.g., lettuce, spinach): Faster production cycles, lower biomass, and reduced light/nutrient needs yield lower energy per kg (as low as 150-350 kWh/kg by 2025 in optimized systems).
- Fruiting crops (tomatoes, strawberries): Require more energy for fruit/vegetative growth, longer cycles, often 2-3x higher energy input per kg compared to leafy greens.
System Design & Configuration
- Facility insulation and layout: Denser stacking and better insulation can reduce total energy per kg by concentrating environmental controls.
- Lighting efficiency: Modern LEDs with tailored spectrums and high efficacy minimize wasted energy, outpacing legacy lighting.
Geographic Location
- Ambient climate: Farms in colder climates (e.g., Northern Europe, northern US, Canada, East Asia) may require more energy for heating. Warm, humid regions spend more on cooling and dehumidification.
- Urban integration: Locating farms closer to demand lowers transport energy but may raise energy costs if regionally supplied by carbon-intensive grids.
Degree of Automation and Control
- AI and IoT-based controls dynamically adapt environmental settings, bring precise automation, and minimize lighting/HVAC overuse, reducing vertical farming energy consumption per kg.
- Over-automation can add to base energy loads if not managed efficiently; balance is key.
Use of Renewable Energy
- On-site renewables (solar, wind, battery storage) now contribute up to 30–60% of some farms' total energy, limiting carbon emissions and grid dependence.
- Heat/waste recovery: Capturing waste heat from lighting or equipment can directly reduce heating inputs, especially in cold urban areas by 10-15%.

Current Industry Ranges (2025):

Highly optimized leafy green vertical farms	150–350 kWh/kg
Typical advanced CEA facilities	200–500 kWh/kg (mixed crops, average energy sources)
Early stage/legacy vertical farms	Up to 800 kWh/kg or higher (older lighting and climate controls)

Advantages

One of the key advantages of vertical farming is its ability to produce crops year-round, regardless of the season. By controlling temperature, humidity, and lighting, farmers can create a stable and optimal growing environment, eliminating the dependence on weather conditions.

Vertical farming also reduces the need for pesticides and herbicides. Since crops are grown indoors, they are less susceptible to pests and diseases. Additionally, the controlled environment helps prevent weed growth, reducing the need for chemical weed control.

Another benefit of vertical farming is its efficient use of resources. By using hydroponic or aeroponic systems, farmers can grow crops without soil, reducing water usage and eliminating the need for large amounts of arable land. Vertical farming also requires less energy compared to traditional farming methods, thanks to energy-efficient LED lighting and climate control systems.

By embracing vertical farming, farmers can overcome the challenges of land scarcity, climate change, and limited resources. It offers a sustainable and efficient solution to feed the growing global population while minimizing environmental impacts.