Make Sure To Follow Us At These Sites!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Vertical Farming - Hot Topic
The Food, Nutrition, & Science Newsletter with Phil Lempert provides the latest information about food nutrition, science, technologies, news and trends
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
The world’s population is expanding at an annual rate of about 1.3% and is projected to double its present level of 6.5 billion by 2063. At the same time, rapidly warming climates are threatening to disrupt crop yields. With global agriculture facing some worrisome prospects – some experts predict serious food shortages by 2100 for half of the world’s population – new technologies are emerging with some possible solutions to the planet’s growing food needs.
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
The world’s population is expanding at an annual rate of about 1.3% and is projected to double its present level of 6.5 billion by 2063. At the same time, rapidly warming climates are threatening to disrupt crop yields. With global agriculture facing some worrisome prospects – some experts predict serious food shortages by 2100 for half of the world’s population – new technologies are emerging with some possible solutions to the planet’s growing food needs.
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
Vertical Farming - Hot Topic
The Food, Nutrition, & Science Newsletter with Phil Lempert provides the latest information about food nutrition, science, technologies, news and trends
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
The world’s population is expanding at an annual rate of about 1.3% and is projected to double its present level of 6.5 billion by 2063. At the same time, rapidly warming climates are threatening to disrupt crop yields. With global agriculture facing some worrisome prospects – some experts predict serious food shortages by 2100 for half of the world’s population – new technologies are emerging with some possible solutions to the planet’s growing food needs.
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
The world’s population is expanding at an annual rate of about 1.3% and is projected to double its present level of 6.5 billion by 2063. At the same time, rapidly warming climates are threatening to disrupt crop yields. With global agriculture facing some worrisome prospects – some experts predict serious food shortages by 2100 for half of the world’s population – new technologies are emerging with some possible solutions to the planet’s growing food needs.
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
Vertical farming is a technology that applies soil free methods like hydroponics and aeroponics to the growing of plants in spaces outside of traditional farms. Fruits and vegetables are literally grown vertically, making this type of farming ideal for urban locations and in areas lacking arable land. In these controlled environments, water and energy can be used efficiently and it can be easier to combat pests and plant diseases.
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, is considered the father of the large scale vertical farming concept – an idea that he says grew out of a classroom project. Despommier, who is currently working on a prototype, says that vertical farms can not only revolutionize and improve urban life but also revitalize land damaged by traditional farming. For every indoor acre farmed, he says, some 10 to 20 outdoor acres of farmland could be allowed to return to their original ecological state. He envisions a future with blocks of vertical farm skyscrapers, providing enough food and water for thousands annually with no waste.
UK-based company Valcent Products Inc. is currently testing out their version of the vertical farm, called VertiCrop. VertiCrop differs from Despommier’s multi-story vision in that it is a single story structure with food growing on vertical planes. Combining vertical growing, hydroponics and greenhouse production into an integrated commercial production system, plants are grown vertically in trays suspended from an overhead track. This set up allows the trays to rotate and pass through a feeding station for water and nutrients, permits even airflow over the plants and equal exposure to light, and allows for nutrient runoff to be captured and recycled.
VertiCrop is designed to increase production volume for field crops up to 20 times while using only 5% of the water usually needed in conventional farming. A 100 square meter machine can grow up to 11,200 plants at a time. A pilot program – the first commercial vertical farm of its kind – is currently underway at the Paignton Zoo in Devon, with the ultimate goal of reducing food miles and bringing down the zoo’s bill for animal feed, which can reach up to £200,000 annually.
Chris Bradford is Managing Director of Valcent Products (EU) and oversees the company’s vertical farming initiatives. He says that vertical farming solutions can serve the needs of vulnerable populations without a reliable food supply, help protect food security and address environmental concerns like water consumption. Also, says Bradford, the technology can meet the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat for crops.
“Our system does not compete directly with conventional farming and we will never replace conventional farming systems. However, we offer a unique solution to vegetable production in specific environments or for special applications like urban and desert farming,” says Bradford.
While indoor farming is not a new idea – greenhouse-based agriculture has been around for centuries – vertical farming cranks things up several notches by potentially producing enough quantity to sustain large cities using resources mostly found within city limits. Some other benefits of the technology include year-round crop production, no weather related crop failures and the elimination of agricultural runoff. And since food grown in this manner can be produced in an urban area on a large scale, food transportation miles can be kept to a minimum, saving additional energy.
Currently, most vertical farming models are produce-based, but smaller animals like fish and poultry could one day become part of the mix, notes Despommier.
He adds, “The vertical farm is a theoretical construct whose time has arrived, for to fail to produce them in quantity for the world at-large in the near future will surely exacerbate the race for the limited amount of remaining natural resources of an already stressed out planet.”
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
Vertical crop system is piloted
Vertical crop system is piloted
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
Quote: The system can be powered by wind or solar energy, as well as electricity
A new vertical method for growing crops which claims to use less land and only 5% of the water usually needed is being piloted at a Devon zoo.
The system grows plants in trays of water moving on a conveyor belt.
The company behind it, Valcent, based in Launceston, Cornwall, said it was a sustainable solution to the world's "rapidly-diminishing resources."
Paignton Zoo is planning to use it to grow herbs, leaf vegetables and fruit as food for its animals.
The hydroponic system rotates the plants on a conveyor belt via a "feeding station" to create airflow and stimulate growth.
This Could Be especially helpful in urban areas
Quote From: Professor Jules Pretty, University of Essex.
According to Chris Bradford, managing director of Valcent, a 100sq-metre machine, like the one installed at Paignton Zoo, can grow up to 11,200 plants, which, he says, is 20 times more than could be grown conventionally in a field covering the same area.
He said: "The world population is growing, food supply is shrinking, water supplies are becoming more limited, food production is competing for land with housing and the production of fuel crops. We have to make better use of available land."
The system is designed to be "eco-friendly" using solar power or wind energy, with the water used to grow the plants being recycled.
The zoo is growing crops to feed the animals
"It doesn't require a green field site so it can be used in urban areas, in warehouses and in deserts," Mr Bradford explained.
Kevin Frediani, Paignton zoo's curator of plants and gardens, said: "We can grow more plants in less room using less water and less energy.
"It will help to reduce food miles and bring down our annual bill for animal feed, which is currently in excess of £200,000 a year."
Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment & Society at the University of Essex, said the vertical crop system seemed like a "welcome innovation" but was still a "relatively high energy user."
"This could be especially helpful in urban areas, but is unlikely to be applied in remote rural communities of developing countries where many problems of hunger remain," he added.
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
Quote: The system can be powered by wind or solar energy, as well as electricity
A new vertical method for growing crops which claims to use less land and only 5% of the water usually needed is being piloted at a Devon zoo.
The system grows plants in trays of water moving on a conveyor belt.
The company behind it, Valcent, based in Launceston, Cornwall, said it was a sustainable solution to the world's "rapidly-diminishing resources."
Paignton Zoo is planning to use it to grow herbs, leaf vegetables and fruit as food for its animals.
The hydroponic system rotates the plants on a conveyor belt via a "feeding station" to create airflow and stimulate growth.
This Could Be especially helpful in urban areas
Quote From: Professor Jules Pretty, University of Essex.
According to Chris Bradford, managing director of Valcent, a 100sq-metre machine, like the one installed at Paignton Zoo, can grow up to 11,200 plants, which, he says, is 20 times more than could be grown conventionally in a field covering the same area.
He said: "The world population is growing, food supply is shrinking, water supplies are becoming more limited, food production is competing for land with housing and the production of fuel crops. We have to make better use of available land."
The system is designed to be "eco-friendly" using solar power or wind energy, with the water used to grow the plants being recycled.
The zoo is growing crops to feed the animals
"It doesn't require a green field site so it can be used in urban areas, in warehouses and in deserts," Mr Bradford explained.
Kevin Frediani, Paignton zoo's curator of plants and gardens, said: "We can grow more plants in less room using less water and less energy.
"It will help to reduce food miles and bring down our annual bill for animal feed, which is currently in excess of £200,000 a year."
Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment & Society at the University of Essex, said the vertical crop system seemed like a "welcome innovation" but was still a "relatively high energy user."
"This could be especially helpful in urban areas, but is unlikely to be applied in remote rural communities of developing countries where many problems of hunger remain," he added.
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
Time Magazine Names Valcent’s Vertical Farming Technology as one of the Top 50 Best
OTC Bulletin Board: VCTZF Time Magazine Names Valcent’s Vertical Farming Technology as one of the Top 50 Best
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
Inventions of 2009 OCTOBER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire – November 13, 2009) - Valcent Products (OTCBB:VCTZF) vertical farming technology was named one of the Top 50 “Best Innovations of 2009″ from Time Magazine in the issue on the newsstands today.
“Real estate — the one thing we're not making any more of,” reports Time Magazine. “That might be good news for landlords but not for the world's farmers, who have finite cropland to feed a growing global population. The answer: build up by farming vertically. Valcent is pioneering a hydroponic-farming system that grows plants in rotating rows, one on top of another. The rotation gives the plants the precise amount of light and nutrients they need, while the vertical stacking enables the use of far less water than conventional farming. But best of all, by growing upward instead of outward, vertical farming can expand food supplies without using more land.”
Valcent pioneered a vertical farming technology, developed in their El Paso, Texas research facility, which was further honed and refined in Europe. “We are honored that our vertical farming technology is recognized as a top invention by Time Magazine,” says Chris Bradford,President, CEO, and Director of Valcent Products Inc. “Vertical farming is no longer a pie-inthe-sky concept dreamed up by academics in Ivory towers. We have entered a new era of urban agriculture where we can deliver locally grown crops that provide a nutritionally superior product that is healthier for the people and animals they serve. .”
“VertiCrop, a commercial high-density vertical growing system, is being employed in controlled environments such as a glasshouse, polytunnel or warehouses, which increases production volume for field crops up to 20 times over but requires as little as 5% of the normal water supply,” adds Bradford. “It is a non-GM solution to food problems, using trays on a looped dynamic conveyor belt and automatic feeding stations to grow plants efficiently. It can be adapted to the needs of vegetable, herb, fruit and flower producers.”
About Valcent Products Inc.:
Valcent Products Inc. (OTCBB:VCTZF) is a leader in the development and manufacturing of commercial vertical crop technology for global markets. Valcent is a pioneer and leader in ecotechnology with its core research and development in sustainable, renewable, and intensive agricultural products. For more information, visit: www.valcent.net and www.valcent.eu. Safe Harbor for Forward Looking Statements:
Disclaimer:
This press release contains forward-looking information, in that it describes events and conditions, which Valcent Products, Inc. reasonably expects to occur in the future, and statements including opinions, assumptions and estimates. Forward-looking statements include information that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this document, the words "seeks", "anticipate", "believe", estimate", "expect", "forecast", "intent", "may", "project", "plan", "potential", "should" and similar
expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a wide range of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including inability to complete sales in process or develop positive cash flow from anticipated product sales, and although the Company believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable there can be no assurance that such expectations will be realized. We have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those current expectations or estimates expressed or implied by the forward-looking information.
The risks and uncertainties that could affect future events or the Company's future financial performance are more fully described in the Company's quarterly reports (on Form 6-K filed in the US and the financial statements and Form 51-102F1 filed in Canada), the Company's annual reports (on Form 20-F filed in the US and the financial statements and Form 51-102F1 filed in Canada) and the other recent filings in the US and Canada. These filings are available at www.sec.gov in the US and www.sedar.com in Canada. For all such forward-looking statements, we claim the safe harbour for forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Valcent disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement made herein.
http://twitter.com/ValcentProdInc
http://www.valcent.net
For more information, please contact
Valcent Products Inc.
Gerry Jardine
Investor Relations
(604) 630-2941 or (888) 506-7979
or
Valcent Products Inc.
Mike Parker
Investor Relations
(604) 630-2941 or (888) 506-7979
info@valcent.net
www.valcent.net / www.valcent.eu
or
Vorticom Public Relations
Nancy Tamosaitis
Media Relations
(212) 532-2208
Nancyt@vorticom.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
