Hydroponic rack system factory by OpticlimateFarm: One such method that is, quite literally, on the up, is vertical farming. With more and more industry players embracing this innovative growing method, citing it as a more sustainable, smarter way to address a looming global food shortage, it’s little surprise that the vertical farming market is projected to grow over the next decade. In 2021, the Global Vertical Farming Market amounted to around $3.5 billion, and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 25.3% from 2022 to 2030, reaching $25.7 billion by 2030. Read even more details on opticlimate
While vertical farming is an exciting new development for the food supply sector, this new method is not without its drawbacks. First, the consumer cost of items grown in vertical farms is much higher than the costs of traditionally grown items. This results from the massive amount of funding still needed to build farms large enough to allow for lower prices. Equipment also adds to the price tag; heating and cooling systems, shading technologies, lights, environmental controls, and other equipment all require considerable capital.
Automation Technologies – Indoor farms require a combination of robotics, machine learning, Internet of Things sensors and cloud computing to function as intended. These technologies are central to creating and maintaining an optimized growing environment. Employing these systems can also reduce the need for manual labor and associated costs. Warehouses Are Becoming the New Farmlands – All over the world, farmers are converting wide, spacious buildings into farmlands capable of feeding their surrounding communities. This represents an important step toward ensuring food security and lowering carbon emissions, for which the agriculture industry has received a lot of flak in recent years.
OptiClimatefarm lab team has been working on something even more unusual – saffron, aka the world’s most expensive spice. For years, the team has commercialized the growing of vertical leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes & peppers for global growers. 4 tons of saffron seed balls could be grown in only 100m2 OptiClimatefarm with Smart Climate + Artificial Light vertical grow rack technology to optimize planting density in a controlled environment indoors.
Vertical farming HVAC systems generate significant amounts of heat as byproducts. Implementing waste heat recovery technologies can harness this excess heat and repurpose it for various applications, such as water heating or powering absorption chilling systems. Key advantages include: Reduced energy consumption for heating purposes; Increased overall energy efficiency by utilizing waste heat; Cost savings through the reuse of heat energy. Controlling temperature fluctuations minimizes stress on plants, promoting their overall health and productivity.
Vertical farming has gained immense popularity in recent years as a viable solution to tackle the challenges of traditional agriculture. By utilizing vertical space, these systems allow crops to be cultivated in stacked layers, reducing land usage and dependency on external factors such as weather conditions. With the advent of advanced lighting systems and hydroponic cultivation techniques, vertical farms can produce crops year-round, regardless of the seasonal limitations. Precise temperature regulation ensures accelerated plant growth, improved crop quality, and reduced crop cycle times.
Airflow for vertical grow racks allows CO2 to spread through the farming facility, which reduces humidity and supports plant growth. Without constant airflow, significant growth would be next to impossible. As air moves through the tightly packed racks it collects heat from the lights, causing air to become hot and humid, which can create mold and mildew in plants. The Innovative Airflow System is designed to keep airflow moving throughout the growing areas, to ensure healthy growth and optimal conditions. Today, OptiClimateFarm’s dedicated air duct system for indoor growth HVACD has completely solved this problem. Discover even more info at opticlimatefarm.com.
Grow Room Environmental Control System is one of the main series of OptiClimate products, which also includes HVAC, LED/HPS lighting, Co2 + controller , dehumidifiers & Ventilation equipment, OptiClimate can always provide the professional plant growth solutions. Being important parts of OptiClimate Farms, the environmental products are designed with compact size and plug-and-play installation, for the easy control of the temperature, the humidify and other elements of the environment in the farms. With its open Protocol and standard interface, it could be connected and controlled through centralized system together with other products of OptiClimate Farms. Automated climate control.Ideal environment to grow in any climate and season.
The choice of refrigerant used in the cooling systems affects, among other things, the purchase price, service and maintenance costs, energy consumption, and lifespan. Properly maintaining an HVAC system can ensure that the system remains efficient and lasts longer. It is important to perform regular maintenance, such as replacing filters and cleaning ducts. HVAC systems can produce a lot of noise, which can be a nuisance to the surrounding area. It is important to pay attention to the different noise levels during the design phase. Growing spaces without personnel require different sound requirements than processing spaces, for example.