ACDC: Advanced Crop Dynamic Control for sustainable leaf protein production in vertical farms

该项目通过提供一种改变游戏规则的解决方案，将低效的TCEA**(完全受控环境农业)作业转变为可持续的、**高能效的作物种植系统**，以应对气候危机中英国的粮食安全挑战。通过合作整合创新技术，该项目将表征和展示新颖的、响应性的TCEA增长方法，以优化包括照明、灌溉和养分供应在内的环境控制的效率，以减少高碳足迹的最大贡献者。该解决方案还将自动化人工操作，并通过动态改变生长环境来提高零售商/消费者产品的安全性/一致性/质量/货架期。这一创新项目将首次使用**作物生理状态测量**，通过**集成光谱成像系统**测量，以**告知光照强度/成分**，以及能源管理(包括可再生能源集成)；最终利用植物健康来开发**更绿色的生产食谱**使用先进的**响应控制**方法。该项目的影响将通过**作物产量与运营影响**的变化来衡量，并以成本/效益为基准，并与现有的最先进水平进行比较。确定的关键作物是高蛋白叶作物菠菜，它不仅是验证集成TCEA技术的测试作物，而且是打开新市场的替代蛋白质作物。该项目由LettusGrow领导的一个非常有能力的财团实施，其中包括另外两家技术公司：Fotenix和Vertical Urban，An RTO：CHAP，一个学术合作伙伴：Rothamsted Research和一个垂直农场种植者：Perfect Fresh。

This project addresses UK food security challenges amidst a climate crisis by offering a game-changing solution to **transform inefficient TCEA** (total controlled environment agriculture) operations into sustainable, **energy-efficient crop growing systems**. By collaborating to integrate innovative technologies, the project will characterise and demonstrate novel, responsive TCEA growing methods to optimise the efficiencies of environmental control including lighting, irrigation and nutrient supply to reduce the largest contributors responsible for high carbon footprint. The solution will also automate manual operations and improve the safety/consistency/quality/shelf-life of produce for retailers/consumers, by dynamically altering the growth environment.This innovative project will, for the first time, use the **measurement of crop physiological status**, measured using an **integrated spectral imaging system**, to **inform the illumination intensity/composition**, as well as the energy management (including renewables integration); ultimately using plant health to develop **greener production recipes** using advanced **responsive control** methodologies. The project's impact will be measured by changes to **crop yield versus operational impact** benchmarked over cost/benefit and compared to the existing state of the art. The key crop identified is the high-protein leaf crop Spinach, not only as a test crop to validate this integrated TCEA technology, but as an alternative protein crop to unlock new markets.The project is delivered by a highly competent consortium led by LettusGrow and including another two technology companies: Fotenix and Vertically Urban, an RTO: CHAP, an academic partner: Rothamsted Research and a vertical farm grower: Perfectly Fresh.