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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

6/ Advances in efficiency and low-impact electricity sources could improve the future outlook for vertical farming. Ultimately, we need to carefully consider whether and how best vertical farming contributes to sustainable and secure food production roadmaps

Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

5/ Electricity use alone also leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water consumption. Overall, we find limited environmental benefits afforded by vertical farming with current electricity options

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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

4/ For vertically-farmed vegetable production, electricity is also at least as costly as current production in the field. However, future advances in vertical farming and electricity generation may improve the longer-term economic viability of vertically-farmed vegetables

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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

3/ Using back-of-the-envelope calculations, we find that the electricity cost alone of vertical farming is over one order-of-magnitude (>10x) more expensive than producing current dried staple crops (e.g. wheat and rice)

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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

2/ In recent years, billions of dollars have been invested in growing plants indoors on stacked shelves (vertical farming) as a potential resilient and sustainable food source. However, vertical farming needs a lot of electricity for powering plant growth using artificial light

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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

1/ Is the future of sustainable and resilient food production growing plants in skyscrapers? Check out our latest article in ‪@plantphys.bsky.social‬ where we explore whether vertical farms are economically viable and offer environmental benefits
doi.org/10.1093/plph...

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Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

6/ Advances in efficiency and low-impact electricity sources could improve the future outlook for vertical farming. Ultimately, we need to carefully consider whether and how best vertical farming contributes to sustainable and secure food production roadmaps

Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

5/ Electricity use alone also leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water consumption. Overall, we find limited environmental benefits afforded by vertical farming with current electricity options

1

Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

4/ For vertically-farmed vegetable production, electricity is also at least as costly as current production in the field. However, future advances in vertical farming and electricity generation may improve the longer-term economic viability of vertically-farmed vegetables

1

Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

3/ Using back-of-the-envelope calculations, we find that the electricity cost alone of vertical farming is over one order-of-magnitude (>10x) more expensive than producing current dried staple crops (e.g. wheat and rice)

1

Milo Lab @WIS @milolabwis.bsky.social · Jul 10

2/ In recent years, billions of dollars have been invested in growing plants indoors on stacked shelves (vertical farming) as a potential resilient and sustainable food source. However, vertical farming needs a lot of electricity for powering plant growth using artificial light

1