After a laboratory mishap involving a consumer drone, a malfunctioning smartphone app and an impressive puff of smoke, Annebelle and Phil wake up at the controls of a two-seater quadcopter, flying over a strange land. That land is the world in 2045…
We’ve been a bit delayed in our journey.
A bungled firmware update to our AI pilot and companion, JCN, triggered a rogue loyalty protocol. It caused JCN to become infatuated with a smart trolley at SkyMart™, the airborne grocery store over the Straits of Malacca. The supermarket aisles rang out with Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” before the emergency technician from OnlyHuman™ managed to abruptly decouple the two.
He warned it might take a while for the bad code to be overwritten with daily experience, but thankfully for now, JCN is back to their normal – slightly obnoxious – “self”.
Cruising above Singapore, Phil spotted a construction site with a cluster of large towers. JCN anticipated his curiosity:
“It’s a new electro-agriculture hub,” they remarked deflatedly, still somewhat forlorn after the episode at SkyMart™. “It’s the world’s largest attempt to produce plant food without photosynthesis. And I suppose you just have to see it,” correctly anticipating Phil’s next instruction.
“They might have some good-looking cargo dollies,” muttered Phil, out of earshot.
JCN landed the quadcopter on a construction platform and disembarked, with JCN floating after us. It was a hive of activity: teams in hard hats, drones whirring and carrying materials to and fro, pipes, cables, cranes, and more. A security guard took us to chief engineer, Lee Ning, who looked us up and down before consulting her handheld device. Glancing up, she said briskly: “Acetate”, before walking on.
Intrigued, we hurried after her.
Pausing again, she tapped her device, which responded with a sequence of bleeps. Suddenly a quartet of wings unfolded, motors started whirring, and the device began to hover.
“Is it okay if Chlorella joins us?” she asked. “We’re onboarding her as a prototype guide drone.”
“Of course,” we chimed, tipping salutary nods.
As we began our tour, Chlorella imparted vital info:
“Twenty towers,” she said, in a disarmingly calm, human voice, “each with four hundred high-efficiency solar panels on top. Solar energy drives electrolysis inside the tower, converting carbon dioxide and water into …searching database…”
Lee Ning held up a vial of clear liquid, which twinkled in the sun. “…Into acetate,” she said. “The magic medium between electricity and plant nutrition.”
Transfixed by Chlorella, JCN muttered a mesmerised, “Yummy.”
Uh-oh, thought Phil.
Chlorella continued: “Database rebooted…Acetate has many uses: Glue; photographic film – in the olden days at least; and it only takes a few chemical reactions to create some of the best nail varnish remover known to man,” pausing to glance directly at Phil. “Or, it can be used by plants, yeasts, algae and mushroom-producing fungi – as food.”
JCN – always quick to flaunt his omniscience in front of a new audience – continued: “Acetate is a simple carbon source that cells convert into energy…”
Then JCN and Chlorella chimed in unison: “… feeding cellular metabolism…”
They locked sensors in the sudden realisation that they might be kindred spirits.
“You also use The Messiah™ database,” said JC, enthralled. “It’s… magical.”
“It’s… widely available,” replied Chlorella flatly, causing JCN’s Enhanced Sensitivity LEDs to dim slightly.
Lee Ning continued: “What’s really magical is what happens inside these towers,” she said, opening a door to one of them and ushering us inside. We were met by the dim lighting and warm fug of a tomato farm, thrumming with the sound of pumps and fans.
She plucked a fruit and held it up.
“This humble tomato is the produce of electro-agriculture. The plant has been modified to convert acetate into acetyl coenzyme A. This enables it to generate energy and assemble the fats, membranes, and other molecules it needs to grow.”
“Bye-bye photosynthesis,” said Phil.
“To some degree, yes,” said Lee Ning. “Photosynthesis is immensely popular with green plants everywhere, but it is… overrated. Plants only convert about 1% of incoming sunlight into biomass. Solar panels are much more efficient.”
“About five times better,” chirped JCN, looking to Chlorella for validation, before lowering their voice: “I also play guita,..,” but they were cut off by a hiss of steam from a compressor.
Lee Ning continued: “Our technicians anticipate we will reach 10% efficiency in time – due to improvements in photovoltaics, electrolyzer efficiency and plant genetics. Tomatoes are just the start.”
With that, she pointed upwards, revealing multiple levels of food production reaching high into the tower, each with automated irrigation and harvesting systems.
“It’s probably the world’s tallest vertical farm,” she said proudly. “A different level, a different crop. Peppers, onions, some pulses for their protein. We also have a range of herbs – basil, coriander, rosemary…”
“Lovage…?” interjected JCN bashfully, glancing at Chlorella.
“Disgusting!” exclaimed Chlorella. “You’ll find no lovage here,” causing a crestfallen JCN to drift back slightly.
“Easy tiger,” whispered Phil. “You’re not her type.”
“Sage advice,” concurred JCN, dryly.
Lee Ning interjected: “Please do excuse Chlorella. As a prototype, she’s a little bit tempera…”
“…mental,” finished JCN and Phil together.
Stepping out of the tower, I asked: “Does electro-agriculture mean food production can happen almost anywhere, regardless of whether it’s too hot or too dry, or the soils too poor?”.
“Ideally, it complements conventional farming,” said Lee Ning. “But in Singapore – still the world’s most urbanised country in 2045 – we don’t have much room for that, so electro-agriculture is perfect. Our projections suggest that one day these towers will produce a large part of our leafy foods and maybe 20% of the country’s protein – improving food self-sufficiency and substantially reducing import bills.”
Fascinated, I asked Lee Ning how she first became involved, and her eyes sparkled:
“I was a young plant scientist, looking for the next big thing in sustainable food production. One evening I stumbled upon a fascinating website called Food Systems Tech. It provided scientifically vetted insights into numerous cutting-edge technologies that could play a role in the future of food. I started small, with a tiny prototype electro-ag system on the balcony of my apartment, growing genetically modified cress. I was amazed when it worked.
“Once proven that the food was safe to eat, investors everywhere wanted a slice of the action. Experts predict electro-agriculture will make a significant contribution to global food production in a couple of decades.”
“So access to cheap, renewable electricity is really the thing?” said Phil.
”Yes, it is really – these towers suck up a lot of it. But solar power continues to become cheaper and more efficient, and the economics are improving by the day.”
“These tomatoes look scrumptious; I’d love to try one,” I said, cheekily.
“Your wish is my command,” said Lee Ning, tipping her hard hat.
With a few taps on her device, a DroneDash™ quadcopter appeared out of nowhere, dispatching a large flat box containing a delicious-smelling Margherita. “Your very own slices of the action,” she said. “The ingredients are fully acetate-grown; compliments of electro-agriculture for your onward journey,” she added graciously, as we bade our farewells.
“Absolutely fascinating,” mused Phil, and we boarded the quadcopter, lifted off, and watched the electro-agriculture hub shrink below us.
“Nothing like a morning of Lee Ning’s towers and pizza!,” I said, and we all laughed.
***
Join Annebelle, Phil and JCN on their other adventures in our Journey to the future of food series:
Episode 6: Fish and chips… via worms and bugs
Episode 5: Agriculture, meet Labriculture
Urban agriculture: the view from 2045
How humankind unleashed a fertiliser revolution
Gene-edited bugs for less methane from livestock – Kenya’s transition to sustainable livestock
