Life cycle assessment of U.S.-based hydroponic container farms

Urban-scaled hydroponic systems have been touted as a way to provide cities with reliable, year-round food production while also contributing to broader sustainable development goals. However, hydroponic systems can be energy-intensive to operate, which could lead to climate impacts that offset their sustainability benefits to urban regions.

This study applies life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impacts of production and use of a hydroponic container farming system in the U.S. under three scenarios of use in urban food system transitions. Results show that these systems consume less water but typically lead to higher climate impacts compared to conventional field-based growing methods. HCF impacts were comparable to other urban agriculture options operating at a similar scale.