SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT | 29 Evaluated energy generation and conversion Attracting and encouraging CEA technology investments technologies included CHP and boilers 昀椀red by Certain CEA types, in particular indoor and vertical alternative fuels (e.g. biofuels and hydrogen), farming, are growing in popularity for investors who electrically powered technologies such as heat pumps perceive them as innovative ventures rather than and electrical boilers, heat recovery from waste heat agricultural techniques. The policy framework for sources (e.g. industrial sites) and geothermal sources. sustainable agriculture and horticulture, however, is too These technologies were assessed based on seven vague for many growers and investors to see CEA as a factors: technical feasibility; commercial safe choice. They are hesitant to take the risks involved in feasibility; environmental performance; organisational adopting novel technologies without support and policy requirements and capacity; suitability to existing guidelines in place. policy, regulatory and 昀椀scal incentives; societal value creation potential; and societal, consumer and retailer If investments are made in sustainable approaches, the acceptance. study paints a positive picture of the role that the UK CEA sector can play on the path to net zero. CEA can produce Findings 10 to 20 times as much food on the same geographical Decarbonising the energy supply footprint as traditional agriculture, and free up land Some CEA require only a tenth of the water of for rewilding and other environmentally advantageous conventional agriculture, but a great deal of energy purposes. to perform what the sun does naturally, so the key CEA can also reduce the risk of crop failure due to to more sustainable CEA lies in decarbonising the environmental in昀氀uences, and they provide thermal and electrical energy demand. The necessary consistently high yields of food. To fully reap the bene昀椀ts energy generation and conversion technologies already of decarbonisation, the authors urge action now. exist, and the report recognises that the obstacles Investment timelines in CEA are 20–50 years, so current to widespread use are overwhelmingly economic policy will in昀氀uence the state of British and political. The UK is ideally situated with access food production at the 2050 deadline for net zero. to various renewable energy to utilise necessary technology to become a major international player “This study was based on extensive interaction with the in low carbon CEA food production, so growers need industry to obtain real-world perspectives on the strong policy support to reduce the individual risks they challenges and opportunities facing the sector,” says Dr run by investing in the new infrastructure. Samuel Short. “Low-carbon technologies exist and are Clear policy needed for guidance already proven today, and we observed a willingness The report recognises that there is no one-size-昀椀ts-all in the industry to embrace transformation, but there solution to decarbonising the sector. Di昀昀erent is a considerable lack of clarity, and there are funding solutions and infrastructure is required to meet the challenges on the pathways forward. This study provides electrical and thermal energy demand of the individual insights to assist both industry and policymakers in CEA operation, and policy must re昀氀ect this need for enabling a wider deployment of low-carbon controlled 昀氀exibility and facilitate it. environment agriculture.” As an example, vertical farming requires less energy for Dr Diana Khripko continues: “One of the radical di昀昀erences heating than glasshouse-based CEA, and with a in moving away from fossil fuels towards warming climate the needs of the sector will start to a low-carbon energy system is that there is no one-size- include cooling as well as heating. Further, with the 昀椀ts-all technology or solution, not even within replacement of combustion processes there is a need one sector such as CEA. A future-proof and e昀昀ective for alternative, a昀昀ordable carbon dioxide sources. transition pathway therefore requires a strategy that is 昀氀exible enough to embrace legacy systems and existing low-carbon technologies, and potential future breakthrough innovations to align di昀昀erent industrial practices and their speci昀椀c requirements to locally available renewable energy sources.”