Possible solar energy shortages in winter mean that the greenhouse still needs to be hooked up to the grid for back-up, but gradual improvements to the design will eliminate any reliance on fossil fuels, says Sundrop Farm CEO Philipp Saumweber.
The $200 million infrastructure makes the seawater greenhouse more expensive to set up than traditional greenhouses, but the cost will pay off long-term, says Saumweber. Conventional greenhouses are more expensive to run on an annual basis because of the cost of fossil fuels, he says.