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

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.