Harnessing the power and versatility of LED lighting, urban farmers in Shizuoka, Japan are producing 12,000 heads of lettuce per day for consumer consumption.
LED lighting is already good for the environment: switching to LED from incandescent or fluorescent lighting conserves energy and reduces waste. Now, LED lights are also helping global agriculture and food industries reduce the impact of food production on the environment.
Lighting Recipes Yield Better Produce and Production Methods
Key to the benefit of LED technology for produce and plants is control and customization. With LED, it’s possible to tune things such as color temperature and lighting intensity.
The specific beneficial elements of LED lighting technology for these types of applications are “light spectrum, intensity, illumination moment, uniformity, and positioning.” These options can be customized to the specific plant species, yielding pest-free, wash-free produce.
Vertical farming conserves scarce real estate, allowing farmers to minimize land use. Horticultural LED lighting conserves water too, using far less than in traditional farming methods.
Vertical Farming Helps
Vertical farms are also allowing food manufacturers and distributors to grow produce on-site, improving sustainability by eliminating the need to transport products from farm to factory. In one tiny vertical farm (measuring only 80 square meters), food company Delicious Cook grows herbs for use in its processed food, including edible chrysanthemums and coriander.
