Modular Sea Vertical Farm (S-Vertical Farm) for Land Crops Cultivation and Modular Combined Above-Sea and Under-Sea Vertical Farm (AS/US-Vertical Farm) for Land Crops and Seaweeds Cultivation

This invention presents a Modular Sea Vertical Farm (S-Vertical Farm) designed to decouple crop production from land use or land-use conversion to agriculture by using the sea surface as the area for vertical crop production. The S-Vertical Farm module is designed with flexibility to have either a fully controlled (closed) or semi-controlled (semi-closed/open) environment. This novel method increases efficiency of the hydroponic crop growing system by employing a practical method of seawater evaporation and condensation to allow for the technology to generate freshwater independently. The condensed fresh water is then mixed with the required nutrients for input into the S-Vertical Farm’s recirculating hydroponic crop growing system, ensuring no waste nutrients are released into the seawater. The The S-Vertical Farm also has modules for Above-Sea and Under-Sea Vertical Farming (AS/US-Vertical Farm) which may be integrated and combined in a flexible zero-input design.

Background: 
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that global food production must increase by 70% to meet global demand by 2050. Food production already uses almost half of all habitable land and is responsible for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals. Decreases in viable space for crop cultivation and seasonal effects have rendered the utilization of marine space for growth necessary. The ability to grow food in the vast marine space through zero-input agriculture presents itself as an imperative and lucrative opportunity.

Applications: 

• New zero-input method of vertical farming
• Agriculture
• Aquaculture
• Hydroponic growing systems

Advantages: 

• Sustainable agricultural practice
• Space-efficient (on water instead of land)
• Recirculating hydroponic system
• Ease of installation, maintenance and harvesting
• Utilizes new evaporation and solar technology to maintain zero-input status
• Does not release waste nutrients into water
• May be combined with Above and Under-sea modules
• Flexible, customized system design