At ComCrop, solar panels go some way in offsetting increased energy costs from using LED lights on cloudier days.
“Typically for monsoon seasons … because of the continued periods of cloudy or rainy days, the lighting in the greenhouses would be affected, and that would slow down the growth of the plants,” said Mr Tan.
“But … we also have supplementary lighting, which we can then switch on to ensure that the plants continue to grow at the same rate as before.”
The LED lighting can push up the farm’s electricity bills by as much as 20 per cent, but the higher power cost is offset by their rainwater harvesting system, which helps save 60 per cent on water bills during wetter months, said Mr Tan.
OUTDOOR FARMING
While commercial farms can depend on technology and infrastructure – including shelters that are expensive to construct – to stay resilient against the weather, small-scale farms he helps may not have such means, said urban farming consultant Christopher Leow.
“For many of the other small-scale (or) micro farms… farms in schools and hospitals… often, there is no luxury to build these structures, or it’s not possible to do so… their crops are fully exposed to the environment,” he said.
“The only thing that we can do is plan the crops … according to the weather.”
