Feeding the next generation: Vertical farming 2.0

“letus Grow & ECH Engineering的使命是彻底改变垂直农业，帮助养活下一代。我们将结合创新的灌溉和照明技术来提高垂直农业的生产力、质量和可持续性。垂直农场结合了室内无土种植作物，在人工照明和受控环境下，在堆叠的货架床上种植。他们一年四季都能生产农作物，不受恶劣天气的影响，也不需要使用杀虫剂。该项目将在可行性研究中结合我们的技术，在大规模农场运营中测试和证明效率和产量收益，以展示显着的经济效益，并与传统农业和全球垂直农业市场领导者竞争。2017年1月，全球约有600个垂直农场投入运营（Newbean Capital， 2016年），市场价值超过20亿美元，预计到2024年将超过130亿美元（年增长率为27%）。英国在这一市场中扮演着越来越重要的角色，2018年计划新建和/或扩建10多个农场。我们的目标是到2020年成为灌溉、照明和环境控制技术在英国市场的主要供应商，并目标销售到美国、欧洲和中东的主要市场。LettUs Grow为下一代垂直农场设计技术。我们的价值主张是三重的。我们：•通过我们正在申请专利的灌溉硬件提高作物产量•通过我们的农场管理软件降低农场运营成本•提供研发服务，使农民不必在内部承担。ech的水冷照明系统通过将LED保持在最佳温度来提高电气效率，从而最大限度地提高LED的寿命和效率（传统产品的频繁早期故障通常与热有关），并且进一步将光强和热量分离。当在封闭空间中生长时，这一点很重要，因为它可以降低能源密集型HVAC系统的运行成本。项目团队将强大的科学研究和产品开发技能与控制环境设施的设计和建造经验以及超过10年的垂直农业经验相结合。”

"LettUs Grow & ECH Engineering are on a mission to revolutionise vertical farming and help feed the next generation. We will do this by combining our innovative irrigation and lighting technologies to increase productivity, quality and sustainability of vertical farming.Vertical farms combine soil-free growing of crops indoors, in stacked beds of shelves, under artificial lights and controlled environments. They are able to produce crops all year round, protected from the elements, without the requirement for pesticides.The project will combine our technologies in a feasibility study to test and prove, in a large-scale farm operation, the efficiency and yield gains to demonstrate significant economic benefits and compete with traditional agriculture and global vertical farming market leaders.In January 2017 an estimated 600 vertical farms were in operation globally (Newbean Capital, 2016), in a market valued at over $2 billion and estimated to exceed $13 billion by 2024 (27% annual growth). The UK plays a growing part in this market, with over 10 new farm builds and/or expansions planned for 2018\. We aim to be the principal supplier of irrigation, lighting, and environmental control technology to the UK market and target sales into key markets in the US, Europe, and Middle East by 2020\.LettUs Grow design technology for the next generation of vertical farms. Our value proposition is three-fold. We:• increase crop yields through our patent-pending irrigation hardware• reduce farm operational costs through our farm management software• provide R&D services so that farmers don't have to undertake it internallyECH's water-cooled lighting system improves electrical efficiency by maintaining LED's at an optimal temperature to maximise LED life and efficiency (frequent early failures in traditional products are typically heat related), and furthermore decouples the light intensity and heat, which is important when growing in an enclosed space as it reduces the running costs of energy intensive HVAC systems.The project team combines strong scientific research and product development skills with experience in design and build of controlled environment facilities and over 10 years' experience in vertical farming."