- Crops are being planted in 1.1km underground in a working mine following the launch of the world’s deepest vertical farm
- The study, led by the University of Sheffield and Farm Urban, aims to gather the first real-world evidence of whether underground farming can be commercially viable
- Researchers hope the mine’s stable environment and existing infrastructure will significantly reduce the high energy costs associated with conventional vertical farming
- The project could transform disused UK mines into sustainable food hubs, creating jobs and improving access to fresh produce in economically deprived areas
A pioneering research project could transform the agriculture industry with the launch of the world’s deepest vertical farm, located 1.1km underground.
The project, led by researchers at the University of Sheffield in partnership with socially conscious food producer Farm Urban, will test the viability of growing crops in unique subterranean conditions.
At the centre of the project is the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Boulby Underground Laboratory, located in a working polyhalite and salt mine near Whitby. By utilising the site's naturally stable environment, with consistent temperatures and existing infrastructure such as lighting and ventilation, researchers hope to reduce the higher energy costs typically associated with conventional vertical farming.
While vertical farming has expanded rapidly in recent years, this will be the first time crops are tested at such extreme depths. The 12-month study is designed to move beyond theory and provide the first real-world evidence of whether underground farming is a practical and profitable way to grow food.
Jacob Nickles, co-lead of the Institute for Sustainable Food’s Controlled Environment Agriculture group at the University of Sheffield, said: “The idea of underground farming is not new, however there is very little real-world evidence to show how this could work. We’re here to do just that, we’ll be building a robust model to understand the opportunities of these sites using validated, practical data. We know there will be some challenges , specifically due to the ambient salt or heat from mining activities. But our goal is to determine the feasibility of growing crops in these and similar conditions.
“If successful, we may be able to make use of the thousands of disused mine sites that exist across the UK. Many of these sites are located in economically deprived areas. Repurposing them could create skilled jobs, improving access to fresh produce, and supporting local communities while breathing new life into heritage sites.”
The approach could also offer greater resilience in the face of climate change, as underground farms are unaffected by extreme weather, seasonal variation or shifting environmental conditions. It avoids the tensions related to land use by moving underground and opens the door to possibilities in another dimension of urban/city-based food production.
The project could mark a significant step towards more sustainable, secure and locally produced food systems in the UK. It could also help improve environmental sustainability by reducing reliance on intensive field-based agriculture and supporting practices that promote ecosystems, such as increased biodiversity for pollinators and reduced fertiliser run-off.
Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “This Government backs science because of its power to tackle the most important challenges affecting us all. Growing fresh food while using less energy and land – and being less reliant on changeable British weather – could strengthen food security across our country and protect our environment.
“At the same time, this project could see more disused mines becoming hubs for skilled jobs, creating new opportunities to benefit communities across the UK.”
The project is made possible through a UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) STFC Facility Access Funding for bioscience partnerships award, and will work closely with STFC Boulby Underground Laboratory staff, giving access to both a unique environment and a breadth of engagement experience.
Professor Sean Paling, Director of STFC Boulby Underground Laboratory, said: "Boulby Underground Laboratory is a unique place for science, hosting research that can only be done in the special deep subterranean environment. More than a kilometre underground, shielded from cosmic radiation, we conduct low-background physics including the search for dark matter and neutrino studies, alongside a range of pure and applied research. And now we’re growing food.
“Hosting Farm Urban's vertical farm study is a natural extension of our science portfolio and that’s using our unique environment to answer questions that can’t easily be answered anywhere else. If this can work here, it opens real possibilities for what disused mines across the UK could become for the public."
The research reflects the University of Sheffield’s commitment to independent thinking and a shared ambition, demonstrating how creative minds at Sheffield are shaping solutions to global challenges.
