Part 5/10:
A significant hurdle has always been lighting costs. Unlike sunlight, which is free and abundant, LED lighting constitutes up to 30% of operational expenses. Initially, the high cost and inefficiency of LEDs deterred large-scale development. However, as LED technology advances—becoming cheaper, more efficient, and tunable for specific plant needs—vertical farms become increasingly viable from an economic standpoint.
Jones emphasizes the concept of "light recipes", which tailor spectra of specific wavelengths to optimize plant growth—for example, basil farms use pink-spectrum LEDs optimized for basil growth. This precise control not only enhances yield and nutritional value but also conserves energy.