Although vertical farming promises to deliver sustainable food, currently, non-reusable growing substrates are used to plant seeds, leading to waste being thrown away at harvest. This issue is often overlooked and needs to be addressed before vertical farming becomes mainstream.
GyroPlant, a startup that's based in the UK, has been researching and testing over the past two years to tackle this issue with support from the Young Innovators Award presented by Innovate UK - the UK's funding body for innovation, and The Prince's Trust. GyroPlant has developed from a back garden project to collaborating with vertical farming tech companies across the UK to help eliminate the issue of vertical farming waste.
GyroCup, a waste free and reusable growing mechanism for vertical farms
GyroPlant is an R&D-led company on a mission to make indoor farming sustainable by tackling the problems arising from substrate use. Although indoor farming does help provide food efficiently, if current practices continue, it will produce a vast amount of indirect emissions and waste — mitigating vertical farming's positive environmental impacts.
The substrates used to grow plants typically include rock wool, plastic sponge, and biodegradable alternatives — all are single-use. This presents a major issue for the environment. Many of these substrates will end up in landfill, and all will have to be continuously restocked by international shipments, contributing to emissions. The energy, transportation, labor, and disposal processes that have to go into the substrates raise environmental concerns.
GyroCup - testing with FYTO, vertical farmers based in Newcastle.
Mission
GyroPlant's vision is to design the most farm- and planet-centered technology for indoor growing. The company brings the circular economy approach to indoor farming, which is necessary in order to achieve the mission of creating waste-free indoor farms.
The technology GyroCup is actually very simple. It's a silicon rubber cup that holds and promotes seed development that can be used in most vertical farming setups. Re-using is a major part of the circular economy. GyroCup helps create cleaner and more cost-effective farms through a number of other benefits.
GyroPlant is keen to hear from more vertical farmers across the globe and hear their stories. GyroPlant has its first commercial products ready, working towards its mission of helping vertical farming flourish with clean technologies.
For more information:
GyroPlant
[email protected]
www.gyroplant.com