Vertical Farming Economics: Yield per m², LED Energy, Crop Cycles & Cost per kg
Turn racks and tiers into grow area and plant numbers, calculate crop cycles and yield per m², convert a light recipe (PPFD, DLI) into kWh per kg, add cooling and dehumidification, compare water and nitrogen with field farming, plan labour, build the cost per kg and price, and test the payback against the electricity price: 8 graded labs on a fictional indoor farm.
The first lesson is free — no account needed.
About this course
A vertical farming economics course that runs one fictional indoor farm, Stackleaf Farms, in a spreadsheet, for vertical and indoor farm founders, growers, agtech investors, agriculture students and energy analysts. You turn racks and tiers into grow area, stacking factor and plants per m², calculate crop cycles and saleable yield per m² per year for five crops, convert a light recipe of PPFD and photoperiod into the daily light integral and the kWh and lighting cost per kg, add cooling and dehumidification and find the HVAC share of the electricity, compare water and nitrogen per kg of lettuce with field farming, plan labour from minutes per tray, build the cost per kg and a price for a 20% margin, and test the payback against six electricity prices to find the break-even price. Fictional farm and illustrative numbers, not industry benchmarks. Not financial advice. The first lab is free.
Lessons
- Growing Area: Racks × Tiers, Stacking Factor & Plants per m²Free
- Crop Cycles per Year & Yield per m² per Year Pro
- LED Lighting Energy: PPFD, DLI & kWh per kg Pro
- HVAC & Dehumidification Energy: Cooling the Light Away Pro
- Water & Nutrient Use per kg: Vertical Farm vs Field Pro
- Labour per kg: Minutes per Tray, Hours, FTE & Cost Pro
- Cost per kg Build-up & Price for a Target Margin (Chart) Pro
- Capex Payback & Sensitivity to the Electricity Price (Chart) Pro