Why Vertical Farming Won't Save the Planet

Why HN readers recommended it

HN uses it as the go-to rebuttal to vertical farming hype, since it gives hard numbers from a leading controlled-environment authority.

This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.

Video & recommendation details

Creator / channel

Utah State University Extension

Topic

vertical farming economics

Format

lecture

Level

intermediate

HN recommenders in dataset

4

HN mentions in dataset

12

Recommendation years in dataset

2017–2025

These counts and years describe the included Hacker News records; they are not YouTube views or the video’s publication date.

From the original HN conversations

Excerpts from the recorded comments. Follow each source for the full comment and surrounding discussion.

• [VIDEO] Been sending this video to every charlatan pushing vertical farming for years now. The math is pretty obvious and insurmountable on this one.

• A very informed and informative lecture filled with facts that supports the former argument: [VIDEO] Myself I am a chemical engineer working in agricultural research. We are working on aquaponics and also test vertical growbeds. Vertical growbeds underperform significantly unless you put expensive light on …

• A very informed and informative lecture filled with facts that supports this argument: [VIDEO] Myself I am a chemical engineer working in agricultureal research. We are working on aquaponics and also test vertical growbeds. Vertical growbrds underperform significantly unless you put expensive light on them.