Assessing the feasibility of all-in-one growing sensor and innovative transmission node for vertical farms - driving energy efficiency, productivity and commercial viability

由于种植过程的环境效益和粮食安全效益（地理足迹小，无农药，水再利用，全年生长），垂直农业（VF）被称为食品生产的未来。然而，该行业处于起步阶段，效率低下（能源/劳动力成本高，作物选择有限，污染程度高），导致投资回报率低。根据Grand view research的一份新报告，到2025年，全球（垂直农业市场）规模预计将达到99.6亿美元，在预测期内将以21.3%的复合年增长率增长。在预测期内，越来越多的物联网（IoT）传感器用于生产作物，可能会刺激市场需求。精确、集成的实时数据解决方案在VF环境中是强大的，对于将VF的生产力提高到工业规模农场具有商业可行性和对外部投资具有吸引力的水平至关重要。我们的最终目标是开发技术，以产生高价值的数据，与全球VF行业共享（商业上，也通过学术出版物）。LST和项目联盟专注于提供物联网精确数据解决方案，包括ip保护的一体化浮动传感器、强大的无线数据网络、监控接口和大数据平台。该解决方案的交付将对VF行业产生重大影响：** *更便宜/更智能的技术*** **降低劳动力成本：**显着减少人为干预***提高生产力/效率**：数据可最大限度地提高产量（并预防疾病），同时确保仅使用精确的材料/成分/能源。** *提高内部收益率/盈利能力：**导致全球采用VF。英国和欧盟更广泛的长期利益包括：** *减少进口和相关排放** **（经济/环境/社会）** *英国85%的沙拉？进口腌制蔬菜（ITC-Trade； 2018年市场价值9.78亿英镑）。该项目将解决减少我们对进口依赖的迫切需要，提高英国国内种植能力（满足超市需求）和**改善粮食安全** *为传统农民提供全年种植的选择，防止冬季销售流失到海外** *减少不可持续的全球对耕地和水的需求（环境）** *农业目前消耗全球70%的水，垂直农业可以帮助防止水资源短缺。** *提高英国对环境冲击（经济/环境/社会）的抵御能力**仅在英国，干旱或缺水就会导致每年10%的作物损失，相当于4亿英镑（DEFRA;2016）。** *改善营养供应：**通过改善VF的运营/产出，将使VF的研究能够专注于种植新的、营养丰富或密集的作物（土豆、甜叶菊等），帮助摆脱仅仅是绿叶沙拉/微绿色的[0]:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/vertical-farming-market

Vertical Farming(VF) has been branded as the future of Food Production due to the environmental benefits and food security benefits (small geographical footprint, pesticide-free, water reuse, all year round growing) of the growing process. However, the industry is in its infancy and littered with inefficiencies(high energy/labour costs, limited crop choice, high levels of contamination), resulting in poor ROI.The global [vertical farming market][0] size is anticipated to reach $9.96bn by 2025, according to a new report by Grand\_View\_Research, (expanding@ 21.3%-CAGR) over the forecast period. Increased use of Internet of Things(IoT) sensors for producing crops is likely to spur the market demand over the forecast period.Precision, integrated real time data solutions that are robust to the VF environment are critical to elevating the productivity of VF to a level where industrial-scale farms become commercially-viable and attractive to external investment. Ultimately our aim is to develop technology to generate high-value data to be shared (commercially but also via academic publication) with the global VF industry.LST and the project consortium are focused on delivering an IoT precision data solution, compromising of an IP-protected all-in-one floating sensor, robust wireless data network, monitoring interface and BigData platform. The delivery of this solution will have significant impact to the VF industry:* **Cheaper/Smarter Technology*** **Reduction in labour costs:** significant reduction in human intervention* **Improved Productivity/Efficiency**: Data to maximise yields(and prevent disease) whilst ensuring only the precise materials/ingredients/energy are utilised.* **Improved IRR/Profitability:** leading to global adoption of VF.The wider long term benefits to the UK and the ROW include;* **Reduction in imports and associated emissions** **(Economic/Environmental/Social)** * 85% of the UK's Salads?epared Veg is imported(£978m market ITC-Trade; 2018). The project will address the urgent need to reduce our reliance on imports, boost UK internal growing capacity(to meet supermarket demand) and **improve food security** * Offer traditional farmers the option to grow all-year-round, preventing sales being lost over winter to overseas* **Reduction in unsustainable global demand on land and water for arable use(Environmental)** * Agriculture currently uses 70% of all water consumed globally, vertical farming can help prevent water scarcity.* **Improve UK resilience to environmental shocks(Economic/Environmental/Social)** Drought or a lack of water result in 10% crop loss pa in the UK alone, equivalent to £400m(DEFRA;2016). * **Improved Nutritional Offering:** By improving VF's operations/outputs will enable VF research to focus on the growing of new, nutrient rich or dense crops(potatoes, stevia etc), helping move away from just leafy salad/micro-green's[0]: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/vertical-farming-market