Plugging 'Plant Factories' Into the Grid

When you grow plants with electrons rather than the sun, what happens to the grid? This week, we’re talking about the energy profile of indoor plant factories. Indoor farming is having a moment. Venture capitalists are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into vertical farming startups growing in urban, industrial facilities. Cities are easing restrictions to encourage more plant factories. And even Elon Musk’s cousin founded a vertical farm. We’re tackling this booming business: what’s driving it, what’s the potential, and what are the energy consequences? We’re joined by Logan Ashcraft, an indoor agriculture expert who previously served as the manager of energy & power at Plenty. She’s currently doing research on the broader impact of these operations on the energy system. Support for this podcast comes from Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project. We're also supported by Shoals Technologies Group, the gold standard for solar and storage balance-of-systems solutions. Learn more about how Shoals can make your project operate at the highest level. Subscribe to The Interchange podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content. Or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.