AppHarvest's greenhouse in Appalachia is the biggest in the US. Using artificial intelligence AI and robotics, the company says it yields 30 times more per acre than open fields, but uses 90% less water. Using 300 sensors, the facility collects data from the plants and growers can remotely monitor the microclimate to ensure that crops receive the ideal amount of nutrients and water.
AI collects data from over 700,000 plants and is also fed through cameras attached to Virgo, AppHarvest's AI-powered robot.
Virgo uses AI to pick and prune tomatoes for harvest, and then assesses and removes them with its robotic arm.
AppHarvest's facility uses 100% recycled rainwater to grow its crops. Its 10 acre retention pond holds the equivalent of almost 70 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
AppHarvest says that by using a combination of sunlight and LEDs it can produce up to 45 million pounds of tomatoes per year.
Technology can help reduce the environmental impact of farming. Current global food production accounts for 80% of deforestation and 70% of all freshwater use, according to WWF.
AppHarvest says AI-powered greenhouses could be a solution to the growing demand for food as the global population heads closer toward 10 billion people by 2050.
The company said it would like to curb its carbon emissions by using renewable energy in the future.
Building technology to predict, control the crop and create absolute stability in the food supply allows us to grow locally and control our food destiny. That's the real opportunity with robotics and AI, says Josh Lessing, AppHarvest's chief technology officer.