Vertical Farming Economics: Yield per m², LED Energy, Crop Cycles & Cost per kg

What you'll build

What you will be able to do

Each lab ends with a concrete result that you build yourself and the checker confirms, cell by cell.

• Turn the rack plan of Stackleaf Farms into grow area, stacking factor and plant numbers for five grow rooms.
• Calculate how many crop cycles each tier runs per year and the saleable yield per m² of grow area for five crops, then find the most productive crop.
• Convert each crop's light recipe (PPFD and photoperiod) into the daily light integral, the LED power per m², the electricity per kg and the lighting cost per kg.
• Calculate the daily lighting, cooling and dehumidification electricity of the five grow rooms and the HVAC share of the farm's electricity.
• Compare four ways to grow lettuce by net water and nitrogen loss per kg, and calculate the water saving of the vertical farm.
• Build the weekly labour plan of Stackleaf Farms from minutes per tray, then calculate the labour cost per kg and the staff to hire.
• Build the annual cost of Stackleaf Farms from drivers and rates, turn it into cost per kg, set a price for a 20 % margin and chart the cost structure.
• Calculate the cash profit and simple payback of Stackleaf Farms, test them against six electricity prices, find the break-even electricity price and chart the result.