Vertical Farm Energy Use & OPEX: kWh per kg — and How to Control It

Capital cost is a one-time number; energy is forever. In a vertical farm, lighting and climate control are the bulk of the electricity bill — and in hot climates, cooling adds load on top. That's why comparing sticker prices alone is misleading: a cheap farm with inefficient lighting can cost more over five years than a well-engineered one.

Energy per kilogram depends on the crop, the climate and the system, but as an orientation, indoor leafy greens commonly run on the order of a few to several kWh per kilogram, dominated by lighting and HVAC. Microgreens, with their very short cycles and lower light demand per harvest, typically sit at the lower end. We model your specific figure during engineering rather than quoting a single number.

High-efficiency LED (measured in µmol per joule) and dimming light to the growth stage are the biggest levers. Liquid-cooled fixtures hold efficiency and last longer. Sealed, insulated rooms and heat recovery cut the climate load, and pairing with solar — see our off-grid systems — reduces grid draw where power is expensive or unreliable.

A bankable decision looks at both. Our engineering delivers an energy estimate alongside the price, and the ROI calculator lets you see payback with your local energy cost built in.