Hydroponics Goes Modular And Energy Efficient

By:  Timothy Dennis

Benefits of Modular Hydroponic Systems

Modular hydroponic systems allow growers to easily switch plants or groups of plants between rows or other areas. This can be achieved regardless of the location of the equipment, rooms, greenhouse space, light cycles, temperature changes, environmental variances, and many other parameters. Commercial operations are very challenging on a large scale because there is little adaptability in conventional gardens.

When issues occur on modular farms, the user simply unplugs the grow chamber from the “chain” or “bank” of units and the rest of the garden continues operating as if nothing went wrong. Problems can easily be isolated and addressed, as compared to conventional controlled environment commercial operations.

At harvest time, there is often a lag in the production line because the grow system and corresponding space must be cleaned before new plants arrive. Modular systems provide a means to mobilize the plants, removing them for harvest and cleanup. The obvious advantage to this capability is the empty space that has been created in the garden, which can quickly be replaced with a fresh crop, ready for production.

Modular systems also offer the chance to keep a plant or group of plants in place but disconnected from the others and fed on a different schedule or regimen if necessary. Finally, perhaps the largest benefit offered by modular grow systems is the ability to spread out the typical burdens brought about by harvest time, allowing for businesses and their labor demands to more easily operate on a weekly or daily schedule instead.

Add to this the reduced or non-existent energy cost by the introduction of wind and solar to power the facility and the water ecovery systems which represent up to a %60 reduction in water usage