Dubai is about to build the world's largest vertical farm

The 83,612-square-meter GigaFarm vertical farm is expected to grow 3 million kilograms of vegetables per year and use "green" production methods.

Plant towers use hydroponics and LED lights to grow plants indoors. Photo: IGS — Plant towers use hydroponics and LED lights to grow plants indoors. Photo: *IGS*

The world's largest vertical farm is currently 31,000 square meters (320,000 square feet) and is located at Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport, producing more than 1 million kilograms of greens a year. But it won't hold that title for long. Across town, in the Food Tech Valley, an even larger facility is taking shape, CNN reported on March 13. The new vertical farm, called GigaFarm, is 12 meters (39 feet) tall and 83,612 square meters (840,000 square feet).

In addition to being the world's new largest vertical farm, GigaFarm is also going greener. GigaFarm plans to use a range of technologies to convert waste like food waste and wastewater into agricultural products like compost, animal feed, energy and clean water. The system promises to reduce the carbon footprint of food production while growing up to 3 million kilograms of vegetables a year.

GigaFarm’s vertical farming solution is provided by Scottish company IGS. IGS’s “planting tower” system – which resembles a multi-storey car park but is filled with plants instead of cars – is a controlled environment, with the frequency and amount of water and fertilizer carefully monitored and regulated.

In hydroponics, each growing tray uses a substrate, such as compost or coconut fiber, instead of soil. LED strips under each tray provide synthetic sunlight. Sensors and cameras monitor the growth process. The towers can automatically control light, temperature, humidity, water, and nutrient levels.

GigaFarm has 200 growing towers, each 6-12 meters high. They are modular, making them easy to scale up. Horizontal shelves hold dozens of trays, which can be moved between towers. Each tower module is lined with thick foam insulation, allowing for tight climate control. “Once you bring in air and control the humidity and temperature, the amount of top-up is incredibly small,” says Andrew Lloyd, CEO of IGS.

The GigaFarm project, costing about $327 million, is expected to start construction this year and be fully operational in 2026.

Vertical farming offers many benefits over traditional methods, including faster plant growth, reduced water use by up to 98%, and less space. Additionally, vertical farms can be built in areas where land is degraded and unusable for traditional agriculture. Because they are indoor farms, they are not restricted by seasons or climate.

Thu Thao (According to CNN )

Source link