Reviewed by Lexie CornerSep 10 2024
Integrating artificial intelligence into modern environmental management systems could reduce energy consumption for indoor agriculture by 25 %, potentially contributing to global food production as the population grows, according to a report by Cornell engineers published in the journal Nature Food.
If we incorporate AI into agricultural plant factories–large-scale indoor farms with complete lighting and climate control–all around the world, we can facilitate crop photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration in these buildings. We can expect to see substantial energy reduction while amplifying efficiency and a savings of precious resources.
Benjamin Decardi-Nelson, Professor, Energy Systems Engineering, Cornell Engineering, Cornell University
The United Nations predicts that the global population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Experts emphasize that this growth, combined with climate change and urbanization, highlights the need to address flaws in current food production systems.
Indoor farming systems, such as plant factories with artificial lighting, are less vulnerable to climate change but are energy-intensive and require careful resource management to remain sustainable.
You added, “Existing environmental control systems are not smart enough.”
While ventilation can help reduce energy use, it also impacts plant growth by affecting carbon dioxide levels and moisture balance. AI technologies can integrate these factors into more advanced regulatory techniques.
Artificial intelligence offers a promising solution by managing several complexities.
Benjamin Decardi-Nelson, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell Engineering, Cornell University
The scientists employed AI techniques such as deep reinforcement learning and computational optimization to study lettuce grown in indoor agriculture facilities across eight locations: Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Fargo (North Dakota), Ithaca (New York), Reykjavík (Iceland), and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
AI optimizes lighting and climate control systems to reduce energy consumption. In indoor agriculture, this resulted in energy use dropping from 9.5-kilowatt hours per kilogram of fresh weight in non-AI environments to 6.42-kilowatt hours per kilogram of fresh weight when AI was applied.
The researchers discovered that in warmer climates, such as Dubai or the southern United States, AI cut energy use to 7.26 kilowatt hours per kilogram fresh weight, down from 10.5 kilowatt hours per kilogram fresh weight.
Low ventilation during light periods (16 hours of simulated sunlight) and high ventilation during dark periods (eight hours of simulated night) provided an energy-efficient solution for optimal indoor carbon dioxide levels for photosynthesis, oxygen for respiration, and plant growth while also balancing other ventilation needs.
You stated, “This is a very similar concept to smart homes. We want to be comfortable at home while reducing energy use; so do crops. This work focuses on a smart system to make food production optimal, and sustainable and lower the carbon footprint. That’s what AI does very well. We can save quite a bit if we use AI to optimize the artificial lighting and other energy systems carefully.”
According to Decardi-Nelson, indoor farms can become profitable by optimizing operations with AI, especially in areas with limited energy-saving options.
“By strategically aligning environmental control system technology with plant biology, energy can be conserved using ventilation while minimizing carbon dioxide waste and maintaining ideal growing conditions,” further added Decardi-Nelson.
This research was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (National Institute of Food and Agriculture), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cornell. You is a senior faculty fellow at Cornell's Atkinson Center for Sustainability.
Journal Reference:
Decardi-Nelson, B. & You, F. (2024). Artificial intelligence can regulate light and climate systems to reduce energy use in plant factories and support sustainable food production. Nature Food. doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-01045-3