Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting: Innovation Technology for Sustainable Agriculture Production

A healthy and safe diet today is increasingly threatened by climate change and economic crises; the rapid growth of the world population and urbanization will lead to an increase in global food needs and highly complex supply chains. Plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) give optimal answers to these critical issues, according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as opposed to conventional agricultural production systems which have reduced the availability of land per capita, generating negative environmental impacts. This work aims to provide a holistic assessment of the PFAL production processes, for efficient use of resources, according to the food-energy-water nexus. The productive yields of the cultivated plant species, the soilless cultivation technologies and fertigation systems, the thermo-hygrometric conditions, the CO2 level and the artificial lighting conditions are defined, as well as energy sources and automation for production management. PFALs can be implemented in abandoned urban buildings, with a sustainable approach and a view to zero agricultural land consumption, to zero-mile food production and to the circular economy. The analysis shows that many PFALs are installed in countries with high density of urban populations, such as China, the USA, Japan and Northern Europe, to produce mainly herbs and leafy vegetables. Finally, a proposal for the reuse of abandoned industrial and tertiary sector buildings in Mediterranean peri-urban sites for sustainable urban farming is provided.