The XA Series warehouse system is the result of 9 years of dedicated development and commercial testing. The patented XA Series is a highly automated modular design that we can supply & install in 28 different size configurations to best match your weekly harvest needs (download Brochure for details). In a single system these sizes range from 1,700ft² (158m²) total growing area right up to 47,620ft² (4,424m²) total growing area. And if you want to start small, all our XA Series systems can be expanded later as your market grows or customer demands change - you can contact us now to check what size system you need.
The Key to Profitability
Our experience and of others has clearly shown that the highest level of automation possible is essential for a financially viable vertical farming system.
“Wages of just one worker on a scissor lift can cost > 600lbs (280kgs) of leafy greens every week”
The XA Series Basics
At the simplest horticultural level, the XA Series is a multi-level growing system using rolling benches, flood & drain watering and low voltage LED Lighting - all managed and controlledthrough a Modbus distributed network.
Typical Layout of a small XA Series System
Climate Cell Modules
The climate cells are where the plants are grown. Each climate cell is an insulated, closed environment with 8 levels of growing benches.
There are 4 sizes of climate cells available and there can be up to 7 climate cells in a single XA Series system.
Each climate cell has an integrated vertical hoist at each end for the automatic loading and unloading of rolling benches that hold the grow media and plants.
Some advantages of Climate Cells include:
- increased bio-security - eliminates insect and disease pressure
- maximum plant transpiration water recovery - reduces water use
- 80% less air volume to be climate managed than open racks - gives big energy savings
- chilled water cooling of every grow level - extends LED life
- better air circulation - stops heat build-up in top levels of the growing area
- low cost CO² enrichment options - increases crop yields
- low thermal insulation required for main building structure - lower setup costs.
Every climate cell in an XA Series system is automatically monitored and managed to maintain pre-set temperature, humidity, CO², watering and LED lighting levels to achieve optimum plant growth for the crop varieties planted.
Any variation from presets or system function error is automatically identified, logged and reported by SMS text message or email.
Transport Modules
To automatically transfer rolling benches between the various modules of the XA Series system there is a series of motorised transport rails controlled by the system network.
This automated transport system efficiently and rapidly delivers benches to the various operations such as seeding, harvesting, grow media recovery, bench wash & sterilise or onto the climate cell vertical hoists - on command and when needed.
Seeding Module
The XA Series incorporates a mechanical gravity seeder integrated into the transport system. Supplied templates can be easily changed for different seed counts or seeding patterns suited to a wide range of crop varieties.
As an option, the standard seeding system can be configured for either growing seedlings in cell trays or for transplanting young seedlings into the system for grow-out.
Harvest Module
The standard automated harvest configuration of the XA Series is optimised for the production of high-volume cut leaf crops such as Baby Spinach, Rocket (Arugula) loose-leaf Lettuce varieties, Basil and more (download Brochure for crop examples).
The XA Series harvest module uses a high-speed blade to cut the crop direct from the rolling bench and transfer it by conveyors to a designated sort & pack cold room area - typically located adjacent to the XA Series installation, or into bulk bins for later processing.
Grow Media Recovery Module
The XA Series systems are normally configured to use our patented method of re-using Clay Pebbles (LECA) as growing media.
However, as an option the system can easily be configured to use disposable, single-use media such as perlite, Rockwool, coconut fibre (coir), peat moss or others.
During our early development work using typical grow media options, we documented the impact of single-use grow media on total grow costs - including costs of dumping large quantities of what many municipal authorities now regard as “contaminated waste”.
As standard, the XA Series is installed with a Grow Media Recovery module. This automated system separates the clay pebbles from the rolling benches, sieves them to remove plant roots and stems for composting, and then rinses the pebbles clean with fresh water to preserve the colonisation of beneficial microbes used in the Bioponic system.
Simultaneous with the clay pebble cleaning, the rolling benches are inverted and high-pressure washed and sterilised with a solution of hydrogen peroxide. The rolling benches are then automatically refilled with the washed clay pebbles ready for re-seeding.
Nutrients
The XA Series will operate on standard NPK nitrate-based hydroponic nutrients, aquaponics feed water or, as in our own operations, by using Bioponics using organic nutrients and live microbes.
As consumer awareness grows globally about the adverse health effects of chemicals and nitrates in food we have found a ready uptake of Bioponic grown produce that can even attract a premium selling price against the more established ‘Organic’ branding.
Advantages of Vertical Farming
Vertical Farming is a revolutionary approach to producing high quantities of nutritious and quality fresh food all year round, without relying on skilled labour, favourable weather, high soil fertility or high water use.
Our XA Series Automated Warehouse growing systems offer operators many advantages:
Reliable Harvests
In a well-managed Vertical Farm System there are no 'seasonal crops' and there are no crop losses. Our harvest times and produce quality are consistent and reliable, allowing you as a commercial grower to confidently commit to delivery schedules and offtake agreements.
Vertical Farm Systems growing areas are fully enclosed and climate controlled - completely removing external pressures such as disease, pest or predator attacks. It also means our XA Series farms do not rely on fertile arable land and can be established in any climatic region globally - irrespective of seasonal daylight hours or extremes in temperature.
Minimum Overheads
Production overheads in our installations are commercially competitive and predictable. In some locations with good selling prices and reasonable power and building rental costs a 30%+ Return on Investment can be achieved.
Optimised Energy Usage
High thermal efficiency climate cells greatly reduce energy use for climate control. There is ~80% less air volume in one of our climate cells compared to the same size open-rack system in a warehouse.
Of course using high-efficiency LED lighting does help reduce power usage for maximum plant growth. But in addition, we run our light periods in stages so that we have a flat total power demand over a 24 hour period. This is important as more power companies start to apply surcharges based on measured peak power demand.
Through the use of green energy and the elimination of fossil fuel tractors, irrigation pumps and other horticultural equipment our XA Series systems can be structured as carbon emission competitive.
Low Labour Costs
The XA Series are fully automated growing systems with descriptive SMS text messaging for any faults. This means that only low skill levels are required to operate the system and typically the only manual labour required is for sorting and packaging harvests. On larger systems even that process can be highly automated - the cheapest labour is always the people you don’t hire!
Low water Use
Plants take up water to move minerals and fuel photosynthesis. Around 95% of all water a plant takes up is returned to the atmosphere through transpiration.
The XA Series climate cells make the growing system a totally closed environment. This means that 100% of plant transpiration can be recovered and reused inside the system.
Including the water used for grow medium recovery and bench washing the XA Series still uses ~95% less water than typical open-field growing and around 20% less than a normal enclosed hydroponic growing system.
Reduced Post-Harvest processing
The XA Series climate cells have strong natural biosecurity features to eliminate all insects, pest and disease pressure. Human contact with growing plants is eliminated until sorting & packing. Flood and Drain watering means dry leaves throughout the grow cycle - eliminating mildew and mould pressures.
No sprays, pesticides or herbicides and no animal or human contact during growing means harvests do not require holding times or expensive and produce damaging cold-chlorine washing before shipping.
Lower Transport Costs
Our XA Series systems can be installed in any geographic location that offers suitable power and water supplies. Strategic positioning close to the point of sale or in distribution hubs dramatically decreases the time from harvest to consumer and also reduces costs for refrigerated storage and transport.
Optimum Crop Yields
Irrespective of external climate conditions, the XA Series can reliably provide more crop rotations per year than open-field agriculture and other farming practices. Based on typical open-field lettuce production of 1lb/ft²/year - just 5,400ft² (500m²) of building floor area fitted with XA Series technology can produce the same harvest as ~8 acres of traditional farming.
Crop cycles are also faster due to the systems’ controlled temperature, humidity and photoperiod optimisation - from seed to harvest in 28 days for most leafy greens. The optional use of Bioponic organic plant nutrients and live microbes further increases crop yields, nutritional density ands flavour intesity.
Extensive Crop Suitability
The XA Series is suited to a wide range of crops. Within each climate cell all crop growth is controlled by a full suite of adjustable parameters to maintain optimum growing conditions for each specific crop variety being grown.
Some suitable crops:
- Baby Spinach
- Baby Rocket (Arugula)
- Loose-leaf Lettuce
- Endives
- Tatsoi
- Basil
- Tatsoi
- Beet Leaf
- Lambs’ Ear (Mache)
- Mizuna
- Cos Lettuce
- Butter Lettuce
- Raddichio
- Pak Choy
