Vertical Farms Tried to Compete with Open Field Farming. It Isn't Going Well (opens in new tab)

(nytimes.com)

19 pointsKaibeezy3d ago9 comments

9 comments

“What Gotham Greens can grow in about one acre of our greenhouse we believe would require about 30 acres out in the field” but what's the price of an acre in Brooklyn vs 30 acres in rural Indiana? How do you go up against free sunlight, free water and very cheap land?

gus_massa2d ago

* free sunlight: I agree. This is the main problem. This is the main problem. This is the main problem.

* free water: There are complicated water right problems (not sure about Indiana), anyway it's more like "under priced cheap water".

* very cheap land: Cheap land is far away, but transport is not so expensive, so I agree with this too.

2OEH8eoCRo03d ago

It's hard to compete with free energy from the sun.

kelseyfrog3d ago

If only there was a way to decrease sunlight supply so we could monetize access to light. It would make vertical farming a much more real option.

fragmede2d ago

Or, go the other direction, and make sunlight available at night in certain locations by using a mirror in space. https://www.reflectorbital.com/

throwaway022463d ago

https://fee.org/articles/the-candlemakers-petition/ This feels relevant

kelseyfrog3d ago

love it! thx

mickdeek862d ago

Montgomery Burns already tried it

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

9 comments

KaibeezyOP3d ago

https://archive.ph/ABX8U

joegibbs3d ago

gus_massa2d ago

* free sunlight: I agree. This is the main problem. This is the main problem. This is the main problem.

* free water: There are complicated water right problems (not sure about Indiana), anyway it's more like "under priced cheap water".

* very cheap land: Cheap land is far away, but transport is not so expensive, so I agree with this too.

2OEH8eoCRo03d ago

It's hard to compete with free energy from the sun.

kelseyfrog3d ago

If only there was a way to decrease sunlight supply so we could monetize access to light. It would make vertical farming a much more real option.

fragmede2d ago

Or, go the other direction, and make sunlight available at night in certain locations by using a mirror in space. https://www.reflectorbital.com/

throwaway022463d ago

https://fee.org/articles/the-candlemakers-petition/ This feels relevant

kelseyfrog3d ago

love it! thx

mickdeek862d ago

Montgomery Burns already tried it

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse