Data underlying the publication: Synergetic Urban Agriculture: life cycle based design of vertical farms integrated in urban energy systems

Vertical farming systems come with substantial electricity usage for artificial lighting and climate control, resulting in a high carbon footprint. The paper supported by this dataset explores strategies to reduce these emissions, with a primary focus on integrating vertical farms with energy systems. The study examines four scenarios for Amsterdam, considering emissions from crop consumption and energy use. Scenarios I and II use existing energy systems, and crop production with conventional farms (I) or vertical farms (II). In scenario III and IV, the vertical farms are in synergy with the city that uses vertical farm residual heat for building heating. In addition, the vertical farm aligns electricity use with renewable energy availability in scenario IV. <br>The results show a 36% increase of the carbon footprint of Amsterdam with vertical farming for crop production. These impacts are reduced by 13% when using their residual heat in district heat networks. Attuning vertical farm electricity usage to address grid imbalances increased the carbon emissions, raising a crucial debate on the primary focus of attuned electricity usage. Establishing vertical farms in cities requires careful consideration of location, crop selection, light use efficiency, and residual heat reuse to minimise carbon emissions. The added emissions should be weighed against vertical farm benefits such as food security, efficient land-use, and attuned electricity usage. <br>The methodology consists of 7 steps, the methodology diagram is presented in tab 'METHOD'.Step 1 calculates the carbon footprint of farming systems producing each of the five selected crops: lettuce, potato, tomato, strawberry and cucumber. Representing the crop groups leavy greens, strachy vegetables, red vegetables and fruits, berries, and other vegetables, respectively. Step 1a collects the life cycle inventory (LCI) data required to calculate the carbon footprints of vegetables and fruits produced with conventional farming systems in the Netherlands: open field farming (OF), soil-based greenhouse horticulture (GHs), and greenhouse horticulture using artificial light in addition to natural light (GHa). <br>Step 1b and 1c focus on the LCI data of the VF. The carbon footprints of three vertical farms are compared; VFI, VFII, and VFIII. These three VFs produce lettuce and no full life cycle data was available for the other crops included in the research. Therefore, the life cycle data of the VFs producing lettuce wwas used to approximate the carbon footprints of VFs when producing potato, tomato, strawberry and cucumber.<br>Steps 2 to 5 calculations the carbon emissions of the 4 different scenarios, including the emissions related to vegetable and fruit consumption and energy use in the city. The GHG emissions of the four scenarios are defined in kg CO2-eq per capita per year. <br>The four scenarios for the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, include: I. Reference city: the vegetables and fruits consumed within the city are produced using conventional farming systems, including open-field farming and greenhouse horticulture. The energy needs are met using existing systems, a mixture of fossil- and renewable-powered systems.II. Vertical Farm city: the vegetables and fruits consumed within the city are produced using only VFs, while the energy systems remain unchanged.III. Synergetic Vertical Farm city: the vegetables and fruits consumed within the city are produced using only VFs that are in synergy with the city, using the farm’s residual heat to replace the existing heating systems in the city. IV. Attuned Synergetic Vertical Farm city: in addition to scenario III, the VF’s electricity usage is attuned to the availability of renewable energy in the grid. <br>

垂直农业系统需消耗大量电力用于人工照明与气候调控，因此碳足迹（Carbon Footprint）较高。本数据集支撑的研究探讨了降低此类排放的策略，核心聚焦于垂直农场与能源系统的整合。该研究以阿姆斯特丹为对象，设置了四种情景，考量作物消费与能源使用产生的排放。情景I与II采用现有能源系统，作物生产分别采用传统农场（情景I）或垂直农场（情景II）。情景III与IV中，垂直农场与城市实现协同，利用农场余热为建筑供暖；此外，情景IV中垂直农场的电力使用与可再生能源供应情况相匹配。
研究结果显示，采用垂直农业进行作物生产会使阿姆斯特丹的碳足迹提升36%。若将农场余热用于区域供热网络，则此类环境影响可降低13%。而将垂直农场电力使用与电网失衡情况匹配反而会增加碳排放，这引发了关于电力匹配调度核心优先级的重要讨论。在城市中布局垂直农场需审慎考量选址、作物选择、光照利用效率以及余热回用等因素，以最小化碳排放。新增的碳排放需与垂直农业的优势（如粮食安全、土地高效利用以及电力匹配调度）进行权衡。
本研究方法共包含7个步骤，方法学流程图置于'METHOD'工作表中。步骤1计算五种选定作物（生菜、马铃薯、番茄、草莓与黄瓜）的种植系统碳足迹，分别对应叶菜类、淀粉类蔬菜、红色果蔬、浆果类以及其他蔬菜类作物群组。步骤1a收集荷兰境内传统种植系统（包括开放式大田种植（Open Field Farming, OF）、土壤基质温室园艺（Greenhouse Horticulture, GHs）以及辅以人工补光的自然光温室园艺（GHa））生产果蔬所需的生命周期清单（Life Cycle Inventory, LCI）数据。步骤1b与1c聚焦垂直农场（Vertical Farm, VF）的LCI数据，对比了VF I、VF II与VF III三家垂直农场的碳足迹。这三家垂直农场仅生产生菜，且研究涉及的其他作物暂无完整生命周期数据，因此本研究采用生产生菜的垂直农场生命周期数据，近似估算其生产马铃薯、番茄、草莓与黄瓜时的碳足迹。
步骤2至步骤5计算四种情景的碳排放，包括本市果蔬消费与能源使用相关的排放。四种情景的温室气体（Greenhouse Gas, GHG）排放以人均每年千克二氧化碳当量（CO₂-equivalent, CO₂-eq）为单位。
本研究针对荷兰阿姆斯特丹设置的四种情景如下：
I. 参考城市情景：本市消费的果蔬均采用传统种植系统生产，包括开放式大田种植与温室园艺。能源需求由现有混合能源系统满足，即化石能源与可再生能源发电组合。
II. 垂直农场城市情景：本市消费的果蔬仅由垂直农场生产，能源系统维持现状。
III. 协同垂直农场城市情景：本市消费的果蔬仅由与城市协同的垂直农场生产，利用农场余热替代本市现有供暖系统。
IV. 协同匹配型垂直农场城市情景：在情景III的基础上，垂直农场的电力使用匹配电网中可再生能源的供应情况。