The real cost of economizing: Modeling the effects of ventilation on carbon dioxide enrichment, energy use, and lettuce growth in plant factories

Key Points

• The research aims to model the effects of economizer use on carbon dioxide levels, energy consumption, and lettuce yield in plant factories.
• Yield and energy use models were developed for plant factory designs and locations.
• Comparative analysis of revenue against production costs across various designs and latitudes was conducted.
• The study assessed CO2 enrichment effects on production efficiency.
• Higher latitude locations maximize economizer use, reducing dehumidifying costs.
• Economizers limiting CO2 enrichment can lead to revenue loss exceeding 12 times the energy costs saved.
• Optimized CO2 enrichment is recommended for improved production efficiency in indoor farms.