In a greenhouse in the southwestern Korean city of Naju, bell peppers, tomatoes, apples, and mangos are being grown at their ideal temperatures. As the farm runs, scientists remotely monitor real-time data such as electricity consumption from regulating the indoor atmosphere.
Unlike conventional systems that rely on fossil fuels, the smart farm is powered mainly by solar energy to maintain stable temperatures all year round, cutting up to almost 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, according to a group of international scientists.
The self-sufficient energy system design sheds light on how the farming sector could transition to renewable energy solutions, the researchers from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), the University of Sheffield, and the University of Hull in Britain said.
"This study presents a new hybrid renewable, decentralized energy system that is designed to satisfy the requirements for heating, cooling, and electricity of a smart farm in South Korea," the researchers wrote in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal International Journal of Energy Research in July.
South Korea, the world's 8th largest energy consumer, is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from the 2018 peak levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The government plans to transition the agriculture industry into low-carbon and sustainable by expanding smart farms and developing low-carbon production technologies and machinery, according to the Ministry of Environment.
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