Indoor vertical gardens are all the rage among homeowners and restaurants, offering the ability to grow fresh microgreens year-round. However, recent research has unveiled a major downside: their high energy demands.
A study by researchers from the Marche Polytechnic University and the University of South Australia reveals that while these domestic vertical garden systems provide local produce with zero food miles, they come with a hefty energy cost.
Artificial lighting, crucial for plant growth, makes up over 50% of the total energy costs when cultivating red lettuce, a staggering five times higher than professional vertical farming setups.
Additionally, the ventilation and irrigation systems also contribute significantly to the overall energy usage, accounting for 18% and 9% of the power costs, respectively.
The study delved into the electricity consumption patterns of a state-of-the-art commercial home cultivator, also known as an indoor garden. By leveraging smart meters to track real-time electricity usage and peak demands, the research uncovered crucial insights.
Lead author Dr. Gianluca Brunetti emphasized the significance of the findings, shedding light on the immense potential to enhance the technology employed in domestic indoor vertical gardens and address energy inefficiencies.
“Indoor vertical farming has significant potential to contribute to urban agriculture by growing crops year-round in compact spaces,” Dr Brunetti says. “However, energy consumption, particularly from artificial lighting and ventilation systems, must be carefully managed to ensure these systems are not only viable but also sustainable in the long term.”
The researchers are confident that indoor vertical gardens are poised for significant growth in the next decade as cities increasingly prioritize sustainability. Vertical farming is hailed as a resource-efficient technology that conserves water, nutrients, labor, and space while enabling year-round crop production and protection from pests.
However, rapid innovation comes with its challenges, such as high initial capital costs and energy usage, which manufacturers tend to downplay while exaggerating the benefits, according to the researchers.
Co-author UniSA Professor Enzo Lombi suggests that by transitioning to LED lighting, optimizing ventilation efficiency, and enhancing appliance design, substantial reductions in energy consumption can be achieved.
“As these systems become more mainstream, improvements in design and energy management will make them more sustainable. Transitioning to renewable energy sources would further enhance their environmental benefits,” Prof Lombi says.
The study strongly advocates for the implementation of energy labelling, akin to the system used for other household appliances, to empower consumers in making informed choices about the environmental impact of these devices.
Journal reference:
- Gianluca Brunetti, Daniele Duca, Kofi A. Boakye-Yiadom, Paola A. Deligios, Marco Appicciutoli, Costantino Vischetti. Sustainable Domestic Vertical Farming: Energy Consumption of an Indoor Farming Appliance. DOI: 10.1109/MetroLivEnv60384.2024.10615743
