$70k seriously? you could build the same thing out of wood for 3k with the ac and lights. The solar panels are simply stupid, why not just put a sky light in. The solar panels system most likely ads 5k to the price.
Slowburn
A skylight is thermally inefficient, leaks, doesn't illuminate the bottom shelf, and makes for an easier route for unlawful entry.
DemonDuck
$70,000 buys a lot of lettuce.
L1ma
@ Michael Mantion A second power supply for your refrigerator is not a bad thing.
Martinkudu
Might make sense in Japanese cities, but would be uneconomic in most other parts of the world.
Rasto Ha
1) $70,000 for one unit?!
2) operations cost 45 US cents per head of lettuce?! Not quite cost effective either...
MBadgero
An inefficient greenhouse. The nice-looking, white, sunlit wall should be glass. The solar panels on the roof are for looks. Sunlight coming in through glass is at least five times as efficient as running lights with solar panels.
Guy Macher
Plant density is well below that of commercial greenhouses. Capital cost is stupidly expensive. MBadgero is correct; this is an inefficient greenhouse. Yeah, it'll grow vegetables but not many and they will be affordable only by NBA stars.
We already have our own home grown Valcent or as now, Alterrus quoted on the Toronto Stock Exchange and here in the US. They explored doing vertical trays and discovered they could produce about 20 times what a farmer can produce in a given area and only use a fraction of the water. The economics are astounding which explains why these things are beginning to expand as fast as they are.