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Vertical farming is the practice of growing plants in vertically stacked layers in a building. This makes it possible to grow vegetables close to consumers, such as next to a supermarket. Since the conditions in a vertical farm are fully controlled, crops can also grow in extreme environments like deserts or cold, dark areas.

However, before vertical farming can be implemented on a large scale, several challenges need to be resolved, such as high energy consumption. Smarter use of artificial light can make significant savings, according to research conducted by Wageningen University & Research. And plant health improves too.

In a vertical farm, every detail of the growing conditions can be controlled. This is important for high yield, good quality and efficient use of resources such as water and plant nutrition. Creating optimal conditions for crops requires high levels of energy consumption. Moreover, constant environmental conditions are also a feature in many vertical growing systems.

For instance, the lamps required for plant growth give the same amount of light every day, and the thermostat always remains at the same setting. The researchers concluded that this is often unnecessary.

"Adopting a more dynamic approach can significantly reduce energy costs while plant development remains the same or even improves," says Leo Marcelis from Wageningen University & Research.

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