Two mates transformed an abandoned WW2 bomb shelter, 100 feet below the streets of southwest London, into a hydroponic farm called ‘Growing Underground.’ The farm is even powered by renewable energy.
Since 2015, founders Richard Ballard and Steven Dring, of Zero Carbon Food, have been selling baby greens and micro-herbs to markets and restaurants. Now they’ve decided to step it up, with the future of farming- hydroponic technology.
Hydroponic technology grows plants in water systems rather than in soil. Some of the benefits using this technology include cutting emissions, reducing carbon footprint, and if there are storms, your crops don’t get destroyed. This technology isn’t new, it has been around for years, but it’s the combination of LED light technology that allows Ballard to grow crops in such large amounts.
Ballard observed:
There’s a whole lot that can be done with LEDs that is still in its infancy.
For example, growers have discovered that LEDs allow them to alter the flavors of the greens, as their starches and sugars develop differently under changed light spectrums.
Currently, the only crop that grows quick enough in the system to make it economically practical are leafy greens, but Ballard believes that will change in the future. “As technologies improve, you’ll see soft fruits, cucumbers, peppers,” he foresaw.
Ballard pointed out:
The three biggest contributors to emissions are buildings and energy to power them; agriculture; and transport.
Growing Underground addresses all three-issue, plus more:
- It’s based on redundant space and powered by renewable energy.
- It’s more energy-efficient than growing vegetation in a glasshouse.
- The underground setting, combined with lingering heat from the LED lamps, keeps a steady temperature that the plants thrive in.
- Avoids emissions caused by traditional farming, such as releasing soil carbon or running diesel-powered equipment.
- Since the underground farm is located in the city, it brings the carbon footprint down.
Ballard said:
We’ve seen in the last few years some major weather events, which affect yields. The way we grow enables us to have a consistent yield, year-round.
Growing Underground currently produces greens for supermarkets, restaurant kitchens, and markets. The team is raising enough money to expand the operation even further. At the moment, they use roughly 20% of the 6,000sq meter bunker.
