Plans Announced for Circular ‘GigaFarm’ in New York State
December 18, 2024 Plans to build a state-of-the-art circular “GigaFarm” in Cobleskill, New York, have been announced by Empire State Greenhouses, LLC (ESG) in partnership with vertical farming technology provider Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS).
The 385,000 square-foot, carbon-negative facility will take a circular approach to crop production. This means its 100 IGS vertical farming Growth Towers will be integrated into a network of on-site facilities including renewable energy generation and Food-Energy-Waste (FEW) systems, eliminating a third of the cost of food deriving from energy.
When fully operational, the 100-tower GigaFarm will be capable of producing more than 1 billion plants each year and generating 6.4 million pounds of produce annually, with another 1.6 million pounds of produce grown in greenhouses, totaling to over 8 million pounds annually. As many as 50 different crop types will be grown in the next-generation controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility, with the vertical farm ensuring that consumers receive high-quality, fresh produce with minimal food miles all year round.
This sustainable crop factory will be up to 98% water efficient and utilize renewable technologies, including a gasifier, solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, LED grow lights, energy storage, and combined heat and power.
“The state of global agriculture is at a crossroads between climate change, land and water resources, and rising populations, posing an increasing challenge to our ability to feed ourselves,” said Louis Ferro, president and chairman of ESG.
“Agriculture and energy are inextricably linked, and until energy for CEA farming becomes predominantly renewable, agriculture will continue to be a leading cause of climate change – representing part of the problem rather than the solution.
“Working closely with IGS, we are building a new paradigm in agriculture, integrating our on-site renewable energy Food-Energy-Waste systems with state-of-the-art advanced technologies. This is a new type of farming, built on a circular economy model, creating a resilient food system with a carbon-negative footprint.”
Andrew Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer of Intelligent Growth Solutions, commented: “IGS is delighted to partner with ESG on this groundbreaking project. From the outset, both our organizations have shared a holistic vision of vertical farming—one that unites cutting-edge technology with robust, renewable energy systems. By coupling IGS’ scalable vertical farming infrastructure with ESG’s circular approach and on-site renewable energy solutions, we’re creating a resilient, carbon-negative model for U.S. agriculture, capable of delivering fresh, local produce to communities year round.
“Moreover, the Cobleskill site’s positioning in rural upstate New York delivers IGS, as a relatively new name on the vertical farming scene in North America, an exceptionally strong foothold to partner with ESG in the potential development of future sites.”
The facility is also co-located alongside SUNY Cobleskill, one of the nation’s top colleges of agriculture and technology. ESG plans to bring over 150 full time jobs and more than 600 indirect jobs to the area, including internship, research and employment opportunities for SUNY Cobleskill students, and members of the campus community.