[wait_a_minute]

Another example is how modern farming yields far more produce than in the past, with less inputs. For example, vertical farming can yield 240x more produce despite using 99% less land and 99% water versus a regular farm. That technology is in its infancy and will innovate rapidly.

[cornholio]

Or we might do away with farming entirely. Photosynthesis is less than 1% efficient while a solar cell can exceed 40%; so direct chemical synthesis of starch could become the primary source of calories in our food chain, further processed into proteins, fats etc. by appropriate bioreactors down the chain.

[fluoridation]

Does that figure include the cost of manufacturing and installing the photovoltaic cells? Plants may waste sunlight, but they're very cheap to produce. Also, plants produce sugars from sunlight almost directly. Intuitively, producing electricity from sunlight and then using that electricity to produce sugars could not possibly be more efficient. It could very well be that storing energy in carbon-hydrogen bonds is intrinsically inefficient.

[cornholio]

> producing electricity from sunlight and then using that electricity to produce sugars could not possibly be more efficient.

Per photon, no. Per area of sunlit land, yes, orders of magnitude more.

Also, the photosynthesis efficiency generally refers to the entire chemical energy stored in things like the leaves, stem etc., often useless in the food chain. Solar to food efficiency is abysmal.

Then, there is the question of fertilizer and pesticide use, runoffs and accumulation in groundwater and soil, destruction of soils by intensive agriculture, water use, substantial energy required to transport the large masses involved, the subtraction of that land from the natural habitat etc. Modern agriculture is a necessary evil.

[fluoridation]

>Per photon, no. Per area of sunlit land, yes, orders of magnitude more.

That's contradictory. The Solar flux for a given region at a given time is basically constant.

I don't think fertilizer (or something analogous) would be avoidable in such a scenario, since one way or another you need a source of nitrogen.

[wait_a_minute]

Let's get to advanced vertical farming first since it's yummier and see if we need to get beyond that, but I like how you think. ;)

[omnimus]

Having worked for two vertical farming startups… people have been saying the same thing for 20 years.

Turns out when somebody actually tries this in practice its not so feasible. Considering both of the startups failed in quite rapid fashion i would say it might not be so surefire like you seem it to be.

[wait_a_minute]

The most recent examples I've seen from the last few years are very promising. Big investors are moving in, too. Even if the attempts failed in the past, they'll keep getting better. Just like with anything else - renewables, fusion, etc.