LIFE Project: Disruptive vertical cultivation system for horticultural crops within a removable tank under 100% controlled conditions.
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2021 -2024
- Assigned Budget 1.669.400,00 €
- Scope Europeo
- Autonomous community Castilla - La Mancha
- Main source of financing LIFE
- Project website Web del proyecto
The LIFE FARMITANK project aims to implement a disruptive vertical farming business model and demonstrate its environmental and socioeconomic benefits.
The global population is projected to increase by 2 billion people by 2050, and the food supply is projected to increase by 70%. However, there is not enough space available, as approximately 80% of the Earth's surface is in use. Furthermore, the need for freshwater will increase proportionally. As 36% of freshwater use is for horticulture, it is vital to find ways to reduce this impact. Increased food production has additional environmental impacts, such as more intensive use of pesticides and herbicides and higher GHG emissions associated with transportation. Therefore, it is crucial to develop solutions that improve resource efficiency within the food value chain.
Vertical farming has emerged as an alternative horticultural system that reduces land use by 200%, increases crop yields, and reduces resource use compared to standard systems (e.g., open fields and greenhouses). However, current vertical farming systems have encountered significant barriers to entry (e.g., location, costs, and logistics), which have prevented the practice from penetrating the EU horticultural market.
- Increase crop yield by 26% by implementing a double transplant system.
- Reduce energy consumption by 17%, mainly through the implementation of sustainable technology and the use of LED light reflectors.
- Increase land use efficiency by 160%.
- Reducing investment costs and associated risks by 11%: For example, using a removable tank speeds up the installation process for a horticultural system, as it avoids the need for building permits and makes its placement and dismantling much more flexible.
- Reduce labor costs by 6% by implementing more ergonomic and automated processes and technologies (e.g., automatic cultivation system).
- Allow vertical farming systems to be operated by vulnerable social groups, thanks to the use of more ergonomic and automated processes and technology.
The project has successfully implemented a disruptive vertical cultivation system for horticultural crops inside a removable tank under 100% controlled conditions and has demonstrated its environmental and socioeconomic benefits (FARMITANK):
- Improving crop yield.
- Mitigation of energy consumption and reduction of the carbon footprint.
- Increase land use efficiency.
- Optimization of investment costs and corresponding risks.
- Reduction of labor costs.
- Integration of people from vulnerable social groups.
- Coordinator/entity name: Vicente Parra
Postal address: Avenida Hermanos Parra no. 1, 02600, Villarrobledo,
- PARCITANK, S.A.
- Floreale(FLOREALE HOLDING)
- HTC(Hnos. Torres Cornago S.L.)
- Florette(FLORETTE IBéRICA, S.L.U.)
- CNTA(CENTRO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGIA Y SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA)
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