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Food-Energy Interactive Tradeoff Analysis of Sustainable Urban Plant Factory Production Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Li-Chun Huang

    (Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

  • Yu-Hui Chen

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

  • Ya-Hui Chen

    (Department of Business Administration, Hsuan Chuang University, No. 48, Hsuan Chuang Road, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan)

  • Chi-Fang Wang

    (Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

  • Ming-Che Hu

    (Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the food–energy interactive nexus of sustainable urban plant factory systems. Plant factory systems grow agricultural products within artificially controlled growing environment and multi-layer vertical growing systems. The system controls the supply of light, temperature, humidity, nutrition, water, and carbon dioxide for growing plants. Plant factories are able to produce consistent and high-quality agricultural products within less production space for urban areas. The production systems use less labor, pesticide, water, and nutrition. However, food production of plant factories has many challenges including higher energy demand, energy costs, and installation costs of artificially controlled technologies. In the research, stochastic optimization model and linear complementarity models are formulated to conduct optimal and equilibrium food–energy analysis of plant factory production. A case study of plant factories in the Taiwanese market is presented.

Suggested Citation

  • Li-Chun Huang & Yu-Hui Chen & Ya-Hui Chen & Chi-Fang Wang & Ming-Che Hu, 2018. "Food-Energy Interactive Tradeoff Analysis of Sustainable Urban Plant Factory Production Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-12, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:446-:d:130895
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    3. Dafni Despoina Avgoustaki & George Xydis, 2020. "Plant factories in the water-food-energy Nexus era: a systematic bibliographical review," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(2), pages 253-268, April.
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