Studies by the United States Department of Agriculture and Virginia Tech reveal the scale of impact controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and agrivoltaics have to potentially "revolutionize" food production, Melissa Vidmar, Virginia Tech writes.
Bottom Line Up Front:
Emerging technologies such as controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and agrivoltaics have the potential to revolutionize food production by increasing yields, enhancing nutrition, improving access to local foods, and providing year-round access to fresh produce.
While these innovative systems face challenges, they represent a significant advancement in agricultural technology and offer numerous benefits for the future.
Controlled Environment Agriculture Systems
Controlled environment agriculture refers to the use of enclosed or indoor systems such as greenhouses, vertical farms, and hydroponics to cultivate crops. These techniques go beyond traditional soil-based outdoor production, utilizing horticultural and engineering methods to create optimal growing conditions.
Yield Increase: Recent research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Virginia Tech indicates that CEA systems can significantly boost crop yields. Over the past decade, the number of individually operated CEA operations in the U.S. has more than doubled, reaching nearly 3,000, while controlled environment crop production has increased by 56%.
Nutrition Enhancement: CEA systems provide precise control over environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and lighting, allowing for the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops. This enables the production of healthier and more nutritious food options, contributing to improved public health.
Local Food Access: CEA systems offer the potential to enhance access to locally grown produce year-round, reducing dependence on long-distance transportation and ensuring a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain.
The Big Picture
Recent years have seen a significant uptick in investments into alternative food production systems, particularly in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and agrivoltaics (AV), from both public and private sectors. These systems are not only recognized for their potential in enhancing food production but also for offering substantial socioeconomic benefits. CEA encompasses growing crops within enclosed structures, like hydroponic and vertical farms, facilitating the local production of nutritious foods in areas lacking traditional farming space, and is seen as a viable response to urban food demands and climate change challenges.
The sector has seen rapid expansion, thanks in part to technological advancements, with the number of CEA operations more than doubling from 2009 to 2019. In summer 2023, Blue Wave Solar Director of Sustainable Development Jesse Robertson-Dubois was quoted by industry journal Utilty Dive noting that CEA and Agrivoltaics, which enables "dual land use" farming, had hit their "watershed" moment. Leading energy and sustainability officials made note of the rapid increase in Agrivoltaics interest stemming from a growing need as land use is expected to significantly change over the next decade.
