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Indoor farming - especially vertical farming in closed, controlled environments - is seen as a promising answer to global food production challenges.
n vertical "plant factories" or container farms, food can be produced close to the consumer all year round with minimal space and water requirements. Automation solutions, digitalization and software integration are increasingly becoming the focus of attention so that this concept can develop its full potential. Modern indoor farming facilities are highly complex systems that can only be operated efficiently and economically through the use of intelligent technologies. Forecasts predict a global market volume of around 33 billion US dollars for vertical farming by 2030 - growth that would be almost impossible to achieve without the consistent use of automation and software solutions (1).
Automation requirements in indoor farming systems
Manual activities account for a large proportion of operating costs in indoor farming systems. According to studies, 26-40% of production costs can be attributed to labor (2). Repetitive and labor-intensive processes such as sowing, irrigation, lighting, nutrient application, harvesting, sorting and packaging are particularly predestined for automation solutions. In addition to a significant reduction in labor costs, these also enable improved process reliability and traceability.
One concrete example from Germany is the start-up Organifarms, which has developed a fully automated solution for harvesting strawberries with its "Berri" robot. The robot combines 360-degree cameras with AI-based image processing to determine the ripeness and position of the fruit and harvest it selectively (2).
Automation is also essential to enable the scaling of future indoor farming projects. Urbanization and the desire for local, fresh production close to consumers require systems that deliver maximum yields in a limited space. Fully automated vertical farming concepts are seen as the key to achieving significantly higher production densities with minimal use of resources.
Digital innovations: Software, IoT and AI
In addition to physical automation, digital control is becoming increasingly important. The use of modern sensor technology (e.g. for temperature, humidity, CO₂ content, EC and pH values), IoT platforms and data-driven farm management systems (FMS) enables precise and adaptive control of environmental parameters. The centralized control of several system components - often cloud-based - creates a highly efficient and scalable production environment.
One outstanding German research project is "inBerry", a joint project of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT and others. It aims to realize automated production of soft fruit under indoor conditions through the use of innovative, AI-supported sensors and actuators (3).
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly acting as a higher-level control unit in modern systems. Algorithms not only enable the real-time optimization of climate conditions, but also the early detection of diseases, adaptive harvest planning and quality assurance based on image and environmental data.
Integrated systems & automation in practice
Modularization and standardized interfaces are essential components of modern indoor farming infrastructures. They not only allow faster commissioning and maintenance, but also promote the further development of existing systems by simply retrofitting new components. One example from industrial practice is the cooperation between Siemens and 80 Acres Farms. Here, technologies from building automation, energy management and industrial control are combined to enable scalable, automated indoor farms (4).
Germany's international competitiveness in indoor farming
Germany has a broad spectrum of technological expertise, highly qualified specialists and leading research institutions. Nevertheless, the economic potential of indoor farming is only partially exploited in Germany. One particular obstacle is the high cost structure: High energy prices, rising operating costs and a high wage level in international comparison limit the scaling of economically viable systems. One prominent example is the Berlin-based company Infarm, which withdrew from the European market in 2023 due to economic difficulties.
Developments in indoor farming in Germany with a focus on Bavaria
In a nationwide comparison, Bavaria plays a pioneering role in the research and application of indoor farming technologies. Two outstanding personalities play a key role in shaping the scientific landscape:
Prof. Dr. Heike Susanne Mempel has held the Chair of Technology in Horticulture and Quality Management at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) since 2009. In 2020, she founded the Applied Science Center (ASC) for Smart Indoor Farming, which serves as an interdisciplinary platform for research and development in this field. Her work focuses on the development of resource-efficient cultivation systems, the optimization of material and energy cycles and the quality assurance of plant raw materials. A current project under her leadership is "IndoorMedPlants", which aims to develop a sensor-controlled indoor farm for cultivating medicinal plants such as chamomile (8).
Prof. Dr. Senthold Asseng is head of the Hans Eisenmann Forum for Agricultural Sciences at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). He investigates the potential of vertical farming in the context of global food security and uses computer-aided modeling to analyze the efficiency, climate impact and scalability of such systems. His work makes an important contribution to the long-term evaluation of indoor farming as a component of resilient food systems (7).
Both scientists work closely with national and international partners, for example as part of the "CUBES Circle" project of the BMBF's "Agricultural Systems of the Future" cluster. Their complementary research approaches and close collaboration strengthen Bavaria's innovative power in the field of indoor farming and contribute to the development of sustainable and technologically advanced solutions for future food production.
Conclusion
Indoor farming systems offer a promising approach to regional, climate-neutral and resilient food supply. The technological prerequisites for economically viable systems are generally available in Germany. However, integrative strategies are needed to exploit the full potential: In addition to technical innovation, investments, funding programs and regulatory clarity are also needed.
Automation, digitalization and AI are not only efficiency drivers, but also a prerequisite for scaling. For companies in the fields of mechanical engineering, automation technology and software development, this results in new value chains and business areas - not least in the Bavarian innovation landscape.
List of sources
(1) The Brainy Insights (2023). Vertical Farming Market Size to Surpass US$33 Billion by 2030. finance.yahoo.com/news/vertical-farming-market-size-surpass-091800667.html
(2) World (2021). This German harvesting robot is set to revolutionize indoor farming. www.welt.de/235109820
(3) Elektro Automatisierung Digital (2024). AI-controlled production of soft fruit using innovative sensors. www.elektro-automatisierung-digital.de/case-studies/ki-gesteuerte-produktion-von-beerenobst-durch-neuartige-sensoren
(4) Siemens AG (2023). Turbo for indoor farming: Siemens ensures perfect plant growth. press.siemens.com/global/de/pressemitteilung/turbo-fuer-indoor-farming-siemens-sorgt-fuer-perfektes-pflanzenwachstum
(5) Grand View Research (2024). Germany Indoor Farming Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report. www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/indoor-farming-market/germany
(6) Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (2024). Applied Science Center for Smart Indoor Farming. www.hswt.de/forschung/forschungseinrichtungen/institut-fuer-gartenbau/smart-indoor-farming-asc
(7) Technical University of Munich (2024). Vertical Farming - Hans Eisenmann Center. www.hef.tum.de/hef/forschung/fokusthemen/vertical-farming
(8) Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (2023). Prof. Dr. Heike Mempel - Department of Greenhouse and Indoor Cultivation. www.hswt.de/person/heike-susanne-mempel
