Four Story Vertical Farm

 It will be interesting to see just now these efforts really work out. It is hard to see it as the highest and best use of urban land for example. Yet if the need exists deliberate allocation may be worthwhile.

Yet it is still some version of green house technology that optimizes energy inputs to maximize output.

It is always about the economics and I suspect the jury remains out.

4 Story tall Vertical Farm that is up to ten times more productive than regular farms

NOVEMBER 08, 2012

http://nextbigfuture.com/2012/11/4-story-tall-vertical-farm-that-is-up.html

It is the world’s first low carbon hydraulic water-driven, tropical vegetable urban vertical farm, using green urban solutions to achieve enhanced green sustainable production of safe, fresh and delicious vegetables, using minimal land, water and energy resources.

The company SkyGreen is building a vertical farm in Singapore

The farm system, created by the company Sky Green and called A-Go-Gro, is a series of aluminum towers, up to nine meters high, with 38 tiers with troughs in which vegetables are grown. To ensure uniform sunlight the troughs are rotated via a hydraulic water-driven system that needs just 0.5 liters to rotate one of the 1.7 ton structures. With an emphasis on efficiency Sky Green made sure that the water was recycled, eventually being used to water the vegetables themselves. Just 60 Watts of power – just enough for a lightbulb – is needed to operate one tower per day. The company that builds the system, Singapore-based Sky Green, claims that the artificial system is 5 to 10 times more productive than traditional farms.

Only about 7 percent of Singapore’s food is grown locally.

Sky Green is planning on expanding their current 120 towers to 300 in 2013, over which they expect production to increase from half a ton to two tons and increase the proportion of locally grown from 7 to 10 percent. The increased production would also drive prices down and attract even more customers

Benefits – Economic

* Increases productivity The production yield of Sky Greens Farm is 5 to 10 times more per unit area compared to other traditional farms growing leafy vegetables using conventional methods in Singapore.

* Vegetables tastes good Tropical leafy vegetables are grown in special soil-based media, which contribute to good tasting vegetables, suitable for stir-fry and soups. The vegetables are harvested everyday and delivered almost immediately to retail outlets to consumers.

* Year round production As the vertical farm structures are in protected-outdoor green houses, the vegetables are grown in a controlled environment, protected from pests, wind and floods.

* Consistent and reliable harvest Steady supply of fresh leafy vegetables is assured as growing is done in a controlled environment.

* Easy to install and easy to maintain The modular A-frame rotary system allows quick installation and easy maintenance.

* Better ergonomics and automation The rotary system allows the troughs to be immediately adjusted for easy harvesting. Automation at the farm also means more productive workers per ton of vegetables produced.