Indoor farming is on the rise, as you can have the optimal climate anywhere. It's more spatially efficient with vertical planting, but it has a far higher energy cost for air conditioning and potentially lighting. At least the farm workers are cooler too 🤷‍♀️

[–] rumschlumpel 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

AFAIK lighting is the biggest energy eater for indoor farming.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It depends. Natural lighting makes more sense closer to the equator, while ac costs are probably higher than farther north. Regardless of what the energy is spent on, it has a huge footprint.

[–] rumschlumpel 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Artificial lighting is not optional, otherwise it's not indoor farming, just fancy greenhouses.