Aeroponic container farm lifecycle analysis: aeroponics can reduce the impact of fresh produce vs imports
Aeroponic container farm lifecycle analysis: aeroponics can reduce the impact of fresh produce vs imports
Everything at LettUs Grow is rooted in science. It’s important to us that our innovations and the claims we make about them are driven by data and validated by high quality research. Aeroponics is a relatively underexplored technology in scientific literature and we are still at the beginning of understanding its true potential. This is exciting as leading developers of aeroponic technology, but it also means that there are few scientific studies researching the impact of aeroponics.
So, we’re thrilled to be able to share the publication of our research paper, “the role of aeroponic container farms in sustainable food systems.” The paper was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment by researchers from Brunel University London and LettUs Grow - including Jack Farmer (Chief Scientific Officer), Billy Rodgers (Growing Specialist) and Temi Odanye (Engineering Product Lead).
The research paper explores the environmental credentials of our DROP & GROW container farms and their role in sustainable food systems.
The key findings from the report are:
• Aeroponic container farm system generates 1.52 kg CO2eq./kg pea shoots using 2021 UK grid electricity.
• Energy source is critical to reduce most of the environmental impacts of aeroponics.
• Solar & wind power lowers greenhouse gas emissions of aeroponic container farms by up to 80%.
• Salads grown in a renewably powered DROP & GROW show lower greenhouse gases than salads imported from most of Europe.
As with any agricultural technology innovation, container farms are best placed to benefit the environment in different use cases, locations or for specific crops. This research and its conclusions make a crucial first step in allowing us to make educated decisions about where and how an aeroponic container farm should be used to create a positive impact.
It also provides evidence for policymakers and decision makers to understand the benefits of aeroponics compared to imported foods, as well as the importance of integrating renewable energy into controlled environment agriculture.
If you’d like to read the paper in full, it is open access and available in Volume 860 of the Science of The Total Environment.