Climate change poses a severe threat to food production, making it imperative to find sustainable methods. One such method is aquaponics, which grows fish and vegetables together. Now, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev water researchers have offered a proof of concept for a new closed loop system that produced more fish and vegetables while using less energy than conventional systems.
  • Merlin@lemm.eeEnglish
    10·
    4 months ago

    I don’t know anything about this subject with the exception of a video I watched a while ago mentioning that most hydroponic startups end up failing because the cost is too high as you always need a specialist and you can only grow smaller plants/veggies there. This compared with traditional farms.

    Does this change that at all? I’m hoping it does as I’d love that hydroponics got much more financially viable as I honestly believe they’ll be our future considering global warming and pests as well.

    • ArtikBanana@lemmy.dbzer0.comOPEnglish
      9·
      4 months ago

      The difference here is in the efficiency of the system.
      And that this is an aquaponics system, which includes growing both fish and vegetables.

      After more than two years of testing, Prof. Gross’s system demonstrated 1.6 times higher plant areal productivity, 2.1 times lower water usage and 16% less energy consumption per kilogram of feed than conventional systems. His calculations suggest that upscaling to about one ton of fish will allow operation of the system with no need for external energy, less than 1% water exchange, negligible waste production as well as significant carbon sequestration.

    • poVoq@slrpnk.netEnglish
      6·
      4 months ago

      You can grow larger plants in hydroponics, but the current setups really only make sense where land costs are at a high premium, thus you end up stacking plants on top of each other with artificial lighting, and as a result there is not much space for larger plants.