If you see a salad and the packaging says the vegetables come from "Growing Underground," what comes to mind? Don't vegetables grow from the ground? The "underground" here refers to the air-raid shelters 33 meters below London.
Clapham, a suburb south of London, lies a former World War II air-raid shelter, deeper than the underground subway. Here, the British agricultural technology company Zero Carbon Farms has built a vertical farm to grow lettuce and herbs.
What are the benefits of growing vegetables in a bomb shelter? For consumers, the vegetables are harvested within hours, ensuring exceptional freshness. Due to strong demand from major retailers and local restaurants for its bean sprouts, arugula, and watercress, the company expects to double its cultivated area.
According to the World Economic Forum, this area can produce 60 harvests a year, six times more than traditional farms, and uses 70% less water than conventional soil farming methods.
Vertical farming is not without its drawbacks. The growing environment requires strict control and relies heavily on artificial lighting, resulting in high electricity costs. However, this farm is located underground, where the temperature remains stable, allowing for year-round production.
Vertical farms also require less land. Zero Carbon Farms points out that this means more crops can be grown in a smaller space. Furthermore, since the farms are located directly beneath the city, transportation miles are reduced, which also reduces carbon emissions. This helps achieve the company's original purpose: zero carbon emissions.
To reduce its carbon footprint, this underground farm is powered by 100% renewable energy. In March 2021, the farm reached a milestone, becoming certified as a Carbon Neutral+ Organization. This means they not only offset carbon emissions from production and other processes, but also absorb more carbon than they emit.
Zero Carbon Farm offsets carbon emissions by planting trees in the UK. These trees are specifically selected from native species that not only absorb carbon dioxide but also provide animal habitats and increase biodiversity.
Reuters reports that vertical farming could be a solution to food security at a time when climate change and geopolitical tensions threaten food supplies. The industry is growing rapidly, with billions of dollars being invested in development projects worldwide.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/235629)
