As we mentioned earlier, numerous companies in the U.S. use hydroponics to build their container farms. Yet there are companies outside the U.S. build their farms with different technology.
In the UK, a company called GrowUpBox constructs their farm with Aquaponics. They successfully combine aquaculture with hydroponics and turn an over 530 square meters abandoned warehouse into a large commercial greenhouse which can produce 20,000 kgs of vegetable and 4,000 kgs of fish per year.
Grow up box
Photo courtesy: Grow up box May. 17, 2016 Retrieved from http://growup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/027_grow_up_box_01_RT1_SC-1024x683.jpg
Aquaponics is to use wastewater of fish production to fertilize the vegetables. The reason is that fish feces and ammonia are the best fertilizer for hydroponics. When vegetable absorbs the nutrients from the water, it also purifies the water. The purified water then will flow back into the fish pond.
Aquaponics
Photo courtesy: diyaquaponicsguide May. 17, 2016 Retrieved from http://diyaquaponicsguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DIY-Aquaponics.jpg
The Grow-up Box is a vertical circulating container farm composed of two containers. The upper container is a greenhouse. The lower one is a fish tank of Tilapia. To maintain adequate living space for Tilapia, they carefully plan the breeding density and let them live in the shallows. The greenhouse is vertical farming which can simultaneously grow four hundred lettuces and aromatic plants such as basil, brassica, and pea arugula. It can produce 8kgs of plants each week. In summer, it even harvests 50 lettuces per week. The lettuces then will be sold directly to the local restaurants.
Mixed seedlings , Tilapia
Photo courtesy: growupbox May. 17, 2016 Retrieved fromhttp://growup.org.uk/all-posts/photos-and-videos/gallery/the-growup-box/
Meanwhile in Taiwan, a professor builds an experimental container farm with green technology. Unlike normal container farms, his farm is a solar powered farm which is also energy-saving and eco-friendly. According to the professor, the solar panel of his farm can generate about 7kw of electricity per hour while his farm only consumes 2.5kw. As a result, he can sell the extra electricity to the power company for 200 NT dollars per day. The farm is equipped with sun-tracking technology as well which delivers the nature spectrum for plant-growing.
Green container farm
http://enews.nkfust.edu.tw/images/images/3076.jpg
His farm produces lettuces and strawberries. When the strawberries harvest, the professor will share the results with his pupils. He says, “His strawberries taste as good as the conventional cultivated strawberries.”
Green container farm
Photo courtesy: nkfust May. 17, 2016 Retrieved from http://enews.nkfust.edu.tw/images/images/3075.jpg
With these container farms, we can produce our food anytime and anywhere. Even in desserts and wastelands, we can still produce food in the stainless shelters.
Reference:
http://growup.org.uk/
http://www.cna.com.tw/postwrite/Detail/102683.aspx#.VzvOhDV97IU