WO2022053150A1

WO2022053150A1 - Vertical farm with plant bins

Info

Publication number: WO2022053150A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/075562
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcel Stefan FLORIAN; Camilo Esteban CHIANG SILVA; Natanael RIBEIRO DE CASTRO
Original assignee: R.E.S. Immobilien Netzwerk Gmbh
Priority date: 2020-09-11
Filing date: 2020-09-11
Publication date: 2022-03-17

Abstract

The invention concerns a farm for growing plants comprising a plurality of bins (3), at least one storage system (1) wherein the plurality of bins (3) is stacked in at least one stack of the at least one storage system (1) and a lifting device (4) arranged at the top of the storage system (1) for lifting the bins (3) from the underlying storage system and lowering bins (3) to the underlying storage system (1), wherein a part of the bins (3) are plant bins (31), wherein the plant bins (31) each comprise at least one plant (7). The invention further concerns a method of operating such a farm.

Description

Vertical farm with plant bins

Technical Field

The invention relates to a farm with a storage system and a plurality of bins which are stacked in the storage system. The farm further comprises a lifting device arranged at the top of the storage system for lifting the bins from the underlying storage system and lowering bins to the underlying storage system.

Background Art

Vertical farming is the practice of producing food in vertically stacked layers. Vertical farming often uses indoor farming techniques and controlled-environment agriculture technology. The environmental factors, which influence the growing process of the plants, i.e. light, temperature, humidity, fertigation etc. , can be completely controlled and artificial or partially artificial. If all influencing factors are artificial, an intelligent system can fully control the growing process, i.e. the time required from sowing to harvesting, the quantity and quality, i.e. the colour, the size of the plants etc. Thus, the growing process is optimizable with respect to the consumption of manual labour, electrical energy, water, nutrients, waste etc.

Artificially controlled vertical farms can be built everywhere. Such a system minimizes food miles, i.e. the distance that food travels from farm to consumer, the footprint on the ground and the amount of water needed compared to conventional farming can be reduced significantly.

However, the economic benefit of vertical farms mainly depends on the processes (automation vs. manual) and the price of electric energy and on the efficiency of LEDs, wherein the efficiency of LEDs is still increasing . Energy from renewable sources and solar systems connected to the vertical farm play an important role regarding the electricity price and CO₂ footprint of the farm .

Disclosure of the Invention

Hence , it is a general obj ect of the invention to provide a farm which can be operated very efficiently .

This problem is solved by the subj ect of the independent claim.

A farm comprises a plurality of bins . In particular, the bins are constructed by a three-dimensional frame without a full closed bottom, cover or side walls , i . e . the bins are open on all sides or in particular the side walls are integrating a mesh . Items being arranged within the bins can be supported by the frame , in particular a tray is being held by the frame .

The plurality of bins is stacked in a storage system . In particular , stacked means that the bins are arranged directly on top of each other .

A lifting device is arranged at the top of the storage system for lifting the bins from the underlying storage system and lowering bins to the underlying storage system.

In particular , the lifting device

- comprises a gripping device for gripping at least one of the bins , and/or

- a winch system for lifting and lowering at least one of the bins , and/or

- accesses bins within the stack only vertically from the top, and/or

- removes the bins from the stack only at the top of the stack, and/or

- moves the bins within the stack only verti- cally . A part of the bins , i . e . at least one of the bins , are plant bins , which comprise at least one plant . A plant bin is an environment in which plants grow . In particular , the plant bin comprises the tray, in particular a water tray .

Such a farm has the advantage that every plant bin can be handled individually on a high density . Individual definitions of light exposure , nutrients inside the water or air conditions are possible . Since the environmental conditions can be determined individually for every plant bin, dif ferent plants which require di fferent conditions can optimally grow within the same storage system .

Advantageously, at least one of the bins is a light source bin, which comprises at least one light source , in particular an LED , solar irradiation or fiber optics . In particular , the plant bins and the light source bins are stacked alternately within one stack .

I . e . a plant bin and a light source bin is arranged in pairs within the storage system. In particular, the light source bin is arranged above the plant bin and the light source illuminates the plants inside the plant bin .

In another embodiment , plant bins and light source bins are arranged such that plants in plant bins are mainly illuminated by light sources of light source bins arranged in the neighboured stack . With other words , stacks are filled only with plant bins or only with light source bins wherein these stacks are arranged alternately .

In particular , light source bins comprise light sources illuminating with possibly different light qualities and/or different light quantities . The separation of plants and light sources in different bins has the advantage that plant bins can be paired with different light bins in order to change the illumination properties . For simulating a night , i . e . darkness , the light sources are not simply turned off , but the plant bin and the light source bin are separated and the plant bin is stacked without a light source bin . This safes space and the amount of light sources required to run a farm .

Alternatively, no light source bins are provided, but each plant bin comprises at least one light source , in particular an LED, solar irradiation or fiber optics . In this case , plants and light sources are not separable , but the storage system is still very modular .

In a further embodiment , the storage system comprises a grid structure of storage cells , wherein each storage cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of bins .

In particular, the bins comprise at least one , in particular at least two , electric lines . The at least one electric line connects an electrical contact arranged at the bottom of the bin with an electrical contact at the top of the bin , i . e . electricity can be conducted from bottom to top . The electrical contact arranged at the bottom of the bin might be arranged to contact with the electrical contact of the bin arranged in the stack directly below . Stacking two bins is already suf f icient in order to establish the electrical connection between these two bins . In particular , the electrical contacts arranged at the top of the bin are arranged to contact with the electrical contacts of the bin arranged in the stack directly above .

In a preferred embodiment , the bin is a cuboid-shaped frame with four side edges . Electric lines are arranged along these four side edges . This facilitates the construction of such bins .

Advantageously, electrical contacts are arranged at the bottom of the storage system adapted to contact the electrical contacts at the bottom of the bins arranged lowest in the stack . This connection allows power to be trans ferred from the storage system to the bins . In particular bins comprise at least two of the electric lines , which are electrically connected, in particular electrically connected via the at least one light source .

In a preferred embodiment , air supply ducts are arranged at the storage system in order to supply the plants with air, in particular wherein a first number of stacks is supplied with dif ferent air , in particular a different volume flow, compared to a second number of stacks , in particular wherein the first number of stacks and the second number of stacks are arranged within the same storage system, in particular within the same room. In particular stacks arranged in different rooms can be supplied with different air temperature , different humidity, different CO₂ content or different volume flow .

With other words , not all plants in the same room are identically ventilated, but the ventilation is locally different . The advantage is that the ventilation can differ for dif ferent types of plants or for plants in a different stage of growth .

Advantageously, the farm comprises at least one , in particular exactly one , central irrigation station, adapted and arranged such that the plant bins have to be lifted from the storage system and moved to the central irrigation station in order to be supplied with new water and/or nutrients . In particular, the irrigation station is arranged on the same level than the lifting device , i . e . at the top of the storage system. This irrigation system is very easy in design . Only one or only a few irrigation stations are necessary, since the plants are moved to the irrigation station and not the water has to be delivered to all water trays in the system .

In a preferred embodiment , the farm comprises at least one, in particular exactly one, scanning station adapted to scan the state of the plant , in particular the quantity and/or the quality of the plant . In particular quantity comprises the size and/or the weight of the plant and quality comprises the fitness of the plant , e . g . the chlorophyll concentration, the reflectance , and disease detection . The scanning station is adapted and arranged such that the plant bins have to be lifted from the storage system and moved to the scanning station in order to be scanned, in particular wherein the scanning station is arranged at the top of the storage system. The same advantages result as with the central irrigation station .

In particular, the plant bin can be irrigated and scanned in one single supply station .

Advantageously, the farm comprises a processing station . In particular the processing station comprises harvesting, plant treatment , thinning , pest control and/or transplanting for adding , removing or rearranging the plants . The processing station comprises a lifting station adapted to lift the tray and the plants to the top of the bin in order to be processed .

In a preferred embodiment , a first storage system is arranged in a first room and a second storage system is arranged in a second room. In particular, the first room is a "day room" and the second room is a "night room" , i . e . these two rooms simulate the conditions of a day and of a night . The plants are exposed to light in the first room and are in absence of light or reduced light in the second room .

Light source bins are only needed in the day room . If a plant bin is trans ferred from the day room to the night room, the light source bin stays within the day room, is eventually removed and/or paired with another plant bin transferring from the night room to the day room, or alternatively stored in a stack for intermediate storage . Space and light sources can be saved by this concept .

In particular , the storage systems arranged in the first room and the storage systems arranged in the second room are connected via a transport route in order to move bins between the first room and the second room, in particular wherein the bins are moved between the f irst room and the second room by the lifting device .

Advantageously, the farm comprises a central control system comprising data for each plant bin defining

- if the plant bin is arranged in the first room or the second room, and/or

- the position of the bin within the storage system, and/or the light setup, in particular quality and quantity with which the plant is illuminated, and/or

- with which light source bin the plant bin is paired,

- the air setup, in particular temperature , humidity, CO₂ level and/or the volume flow with which the plant is ventilated, and/or

- which and how much nutrients are provided within the tray, and/or

- the f itness of the comprised plants in the bin , and/or in particular , storing for each plant bin a time plan defining at what time

- the plant bin is moved between the first room and the second room, and/or

- the plant bin is moved to the supply station, the processing station and/or to manual inspection .

Advantageously, the farm comprises a central control system comprising data for each light source bin defining

- the position of the light source bin within the storage system, and/or

- the light setup , in particular quality and quantity with which the plant is illuminated, and/or

- the current status of the light source bin, i . e . on or off .

In particular , the plant bin is constructed as a modular frame , in particular wherein - the modular frame is a cuboid, in particular a cube , and/or

- adapted to support the tray and the at least one plant , and/or

- the modular frame consists of pluggable parts , in particular wherein at least one of the pluggable parts has only a supporting function, and/or at least one of the pluggable parts provides an interface for being gripped by the lifting device , and/or at least one of the pluggable parts comprising the electric line , and/or the electrical contact and/or the microchip .

Advantageously, the tray is a closed bin comprising plant openings for inserting the plants and/or a water opening in order to insert water into the tray, in particular wherein the water opening comprises a cover . The water tray is closed in order to avoid algae formation and retaining the water inside the plant bin .

In particular , the plants are fixated on the tray within a cup . Positioning and removing the plants is very easy .

In a preferred embodiment , the bins comprise a microchip which is adapted to control the light source, in particular to control the light source and report the light status to the control system.

Furthermore , a method for operating the described farm is part of the invention . The method can comprise the following steps :

- Plant bins are irrigated and/or scanned on the way when moving the plant bins between a position where the plants are exposed to light to a position where plants are not exposed to light . This means that the preparation of the bin takes place at a time when the bin is in motion anyway .

- On certain stacks only light source bins are arranged . These stacks could be arranged very close to a port of the storage system . Every bin which is transferred from the storage system to another place within the farm or from another place within the farm to the storage system moves through the port .

- The plant bins are arranged within the storage system in dependence of the plant type and/or the growth stage of the plant . Advantageously, plants with a similar or identical plant type or growth stage are clustered within the storage system.

- A plant bin comprising plants being processed soon are arranged closer to a port of the storage system than plant bins with plants not being processed soon . This facilitates the trans fer of plant bins to the processing station .

- A plant bin is not exposed to light for at least 6 hours after a treatment with pesticide , in particular before the plant bin is being transported to the second room.

Other advantageous embodiments are listed in the dependent claims as well as in the description below .

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be better understood and obj ects other than those set forth above will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof . Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings , wherein :

Fig . 1 shows a storage system of a farm;

Fig . 2 shows a sectional view of the storage system;

Fig . 3 shows a plant bin with included light sources and it shows a supply station;

Fig . 4 shows the plant in a cup ;

Fig . 5 shows a table of data storage ; and

Fig . 6 shows a sectional view of a farm.

Exemplary Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention Fig . 1 shows a storage system 1 comprising a grid structure of storage cells . Each storage cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack 2 of bins 3 . Fig .

1 shows the housing of the storage system 1 from the outside , but one stack of bins 3 is shown symbolically . The storage system comprises 20 stacks in the length and 16 stacks in the width, i . e . in total 320 stacks . Each stack

2 is arranged within one storage cell and can accommodate a plurality of bins 3 .

Several vehicles 4 are arranged at the top of the storage system 1 . They can move on the whole top area and access every stack 2 of the storage system 1 from above . The vehicles 4 are li fting devices . They lift bins

3 from the underlying storage system and lower bins 3 to the underlying storage system 1 . The storage system 1 comprises a port 5 . Vehicles 4 can transport bins 3 from the storage system 1 to another storage system or room, a supply station or a processing station or to another place within the farm.

Fig . 2 shows a sectional view of three stacks 2 of the storage system 1 arranged in three adj acent storage cells . In this embodiment , every stack 2 can accommodate a maximum of s ix bins 3 . Stack 2 on the left side and stack 2 on the right side each comprise three plant bins 31 and three light source bins 32 . The plant bins 31 and the light source bins 32 are arranged in pairs , i . e . they alternate within the stack 2 . Arranged on the bottom of the stack 2 is a plant bin 31 comprising support surfaces 33 , a water tray 6 and plants 7 . The water tray 6 is arranged on the support surfaces 33 .

A light source bin 32 is arranged above the plant bin 31 and comprises light sources 8 . The light sources 8 illuminate the plants 7 arranged in the plant bin 31 directly below . In the present embodiment , each stack 2 can accommodate three pairs of plant bins 31 and light source bins 32 . The bins 3 arranged in the storage system 1 are electrically connected to each other . Power is supplied via lines 9 and these lines are connected with electrical contacts 10 at the bottom of each stack 2 . The contacts 10 are at the bottom of the storage system and immovably arranged .

Every bin 3 comprises electrical contacts 11 at the bottom and at the top . They are connected with each other via electric lines 12 arranged on the side of the bin 3 . As soon as a first bin 3 is arranged within the stack 2 , the contacts 11 at the bottom of the bin 3 automatically connect with the immovable contacts 10 of the storage system . If a second bin 3 is arranged within the stack, the contacts 11 at the bottom of the upper bin 3 connect with the contacts 11 at the top of the lower bin 3 . With other words , power is supplied at the bottom of the storage system 1 and transferred to all bins 3 via the bins 3 themselves . The electric circuit is closed via the light sources line 13 supplying the light sources 8 with energy wherein the light source line 13 connects the electric lines 12 arranged on the side of the bin 3 .

Fig . 2 shows a vehicle 4 arranged at the top of the middle stack 2 . The vehicle comprises a winch system 41 and a gripping device 42 for gripping a bin 3 . The vehicle 4 can lift and lower a new bin 3 within a stack . I f the storage cell is empty, vehicle 4 lowers a new bin 3 to the bottom of the storage cell . If bins 3 are already arranged within the storage cell , vehicle 4 lowers a new bin 3 until it touches the uppermost bin 3 already arranged within the stack 2 . In order to lift a bin 3 that is not at the top of the stack, the bins 3 above must first be removed .

Fig . 3 shows an alternative plant bin 3 . In contrast to Fig . 2 , this plant bin 3 of Fig . 4 comprises not only plants 7 but also light sources 8 . This bin 3 has a greater height compared to the bins 3 shown in Fig . 2 . But all other aspects of the bins 3 are identical . Shown in Fig. 3 are electrical contacts 11 at the top and the bottom of the bin 3, electric lines 12, a light source line 13 and a water tray 6. Furthermore, the bin 3 comprises a microchip 14 which is used to control the light sources 8 and report data to the control system.

It is well visible that the plant bin 31 is constructed as a frame and not as a closed box. In the present embodiment the frame is a cuboid-shaped frame which supports the water tray 6 and the plants 7. The frame is composed from modular parts which can have different purposes and shapes. Alternatively the bin could have a shape of a cube.

As already described above the farm comprises an irrigation station 16 and a scanning station 15 at the top of the storage system which conform the supply station. These stations are symbolically shown in Fig. 3. A camera of the scanning station records the state of the plants 7, i.e. the quantity, e.g. size or weight, and/or the quality, e.g. the colour, of the plants 7. A water pipe of the irrigation station 16 is above a water opening 17 of the water tray 6. In this embodiment the bin 3 is scanned and irrigated simultaneously, i.e. the scanning station and the irrigation station are part of one supply station but the process of irrigating and scanning could also happen independently.

The irrigation station 16 is also shown in Fig. 1. It is arranged at the top of the storage system near to the port 5. It should be noted that in this embodiment the farm comprises one single irrigation station 16 and one single scanning station 15, i.e. irrigation and scanning are centralized.

Fig. 4 shows a detail view of one single plant 7. The plant 7 is contained in a cup 71 on the water tray 6. Fig. 4 shows only the cover 61 of the water tray 6. The cover 61 avoids that the water inside the water tray 6 is exposed to light and helps to keep the water inside the tray. The water tray 6 comprises openings only for the plants 7 and the irrigation station 16. A robot can grip the plant at the gripping devices 72 .

Fig . 5 shows data in a table saved in a data storage of the farm . Each plant bin 3 is defined by a bin number shown in the leftmost column . For every bin the system knows

- in which room la , lb the bin is arranged ( second column from the left ) ,

- at which position the bin is arranged within a storage system 1 ( third column ) ,

- with which light source bin 32 the plant bin 31 is paired ( fourth column ) ,

- timestamp when the plant bin 31 is moved between rooms la , lb ( fifth column) ,

- timestamp when the plant is moved to the supply station 15 , 16 ( seventh column) ,

- timestamp when the plant is moved to processing station 18 ( sixth column ) .

The timestamp is the number of seconds since 01 January 1970 .

Fig . 6 shows at least a part of a farm . The farm comprises a first storage system la arranged within a day room and a second storage system lb arranged within a night room . The plants within the day room are exposed to light and the plants within the night room are not exposed to light . Day room and night room are realized by not arranging light source bins 32 within the night room and pairing plant bins 31 with light source bins 32 within the day room.

The first storage system la in the day room and the second storage system lb in the night room are connected via a transport route 20 in order to move plant bins 31 between the two rooms . In the present embodiment the plant bins 31 are moved between the rooms by a plurality of vehicles 4 .

Furthermore , Fig . 6 shows a processing station 18 comprising a lifting station 19 adapted to li ft the tray 6 and the plants to the top of the plant bin 31 in order to be processed, i . e . for harvesting, plant treatment , thinning, pest control and/or transplanting for adding, removing or rearranging the plants . The bins 31 are moved to the processing station 18 by the vehicles 4 .

Air supply ducts 21 are visible in Fig . 6. It is only a simple schematic illustration . The air supply ducts 21 supply air to the plants from side or top . Similar air supply ducts 21 are arranged within the two rooms . A plurality of supply air ducts are provided within one room .

It is visible that the stack on the right of the storage system la within the day room comprises only light source bins 32 . This is an interim storage for currently unused light source bins 31 . This stack optionally is arranged very close to the port 5 of the storage system la in the day room in order to facilitate the access by the vehicles 4 .

Claims

1. Farm for growing plants comprising

- a plurality of bins (3)

- at least one storage system (1) wherein the plurality of bins (3) is stacked in at least one stack of the at least one storage system (1) ;

- a lifting device (4) arranged at the top of the storage system (1) for lifting the bins (3) from the underlying storage system and lowering bins (3) to the underlying storage system (1) , characterized in that a part of the bins (3) are plant bins (31) , wherein the plant bins (31) each comprise at least one plant (7) .

2. Farm according to claim 1, wherein plant bins (31) comprise a tray (6) , in particular wherein the tray comprises water.

3. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a part of the bins (3) are light source bins (32) , each containing at least one light source (8) , in particular an LED, solar irradiation, fiber optics or light emitter.

4. Farm according to claim 3, wherein the plant bins (31) and the light source bins (32) are stacked alternately within one stack (2) .

5. Farm according to claim 3, wherein plant bins (31) and light source bins (32) are arranged such that plants (7) in plant bins (31) are mainly illuminated by light sources (8) of light source bins (32) arranged in the neighboured stack.

6. Farm according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plant bins (31) each comprise at least one light source (8) , in particular an LED, solar irradiation, fiber optics or light emitter.

7. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage system (1) comprises a grid structure of storage cells, wherein each storage cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack (2) of bins (3) .

8. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bins (3) comprise at least one, in particular at least two, electric line (12) .

9. Farm according to claim 8, wherein the electric lines are arranged along the side of the bin (3) .

10. Farm according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one electric line (12) connects an electrical contact (11) arranged at the bottom of the bin (3) with an electrical contact (11) at the top of the bin (3) , in particular wherein the electrical contact (11) arranged at the bottom of the bin (3) is arranged to contact with the electrical contact (11) at the top of the bin (3) arranged in the stack (2) directly below, in particular wherein the electrical contact (11) arranged at the top of the bin (3) is arranged to contact with the electrical contact (11) at the bottom of the bin (3) arranged in the stack (2) directly above.

11. Farm according to claim 10, wherein electrical contacts (10) are arranged at the bottom of the storage system (1) adapted to contact the electrical contact (11) at the bottom of the bin (3) arranged lowest in the stack (2) .

12. Farm according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11 and according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the bins (3) comprise at least one of the electric lines (12) , which are electrically connected, in particular electrically connected via the at least one light source (8) .

13. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein air supply ducts (21) are arranged at the storage system (1) in order to supply the plants (7) with air, in particular wherein a first number of stacks (2) is supplied with a different air, in particular different in temperature, and/or humidity, and/or CO₂ concentration and/or different in volume flow, compared to a second number of stacks (2) , in particular wherein the first number of stacks (2) and the second number of stacks (2) are arranged within the same storage system (1) , in particular within the same room, or in different storage systems, in particular in different rooms.

14. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the farm, in particular the storage system (1) , comprises at least one central irrigation station (16) , adapted and arranged such that the plant bins (31) have to be lifted from the storage system (1) and moved to the central irrigation station (16) in order to be supplied with new water and/or nutrients.

15. Farm according to claim 14, wherein the irrigation station (16) is arranged

- on the top of the storage system, and/or

- at the border of the storage system, and/or

- in the middle of the storage system, and/or

- on a transport route between different storage systems.

16. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the farm, in particular the storage system (1) , comprises at least one, in particular exactly one, scanning station (15) adapted to scan the state of the plant (7) , in particular the quantity and/or the quality of the plant (7) , adapted and arranged such that the plant bins (31) have to be lifted from the storage system (1) and moved to the scanning station (15) in order to be scanned, in particular wherein the scanning station (15) is arranged

- on the top of the storage system, and/or

- at the border of the storage system, and/or

- in the middle of the storage system, and/or

- on a transport route between different storage systems.

17. Farm according to claim 14 or 15 and according to claim 16, wherein the farm, in particular the storage system (1) , comprises at least one supply station, which comprises the irrigation station (16) and the scanning station (15) , adapted and arranged such that the plant bin (31) can be irrigated and scanned at the same position .

18. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the farm comprises a processing station ( 18 ) , wherein the processing station (18) comprises a lifting station (19) adapted to lift the tray (6) to the top of the bin (3) in order to be processed, and/or the processing station (18) performs harvesting, plant treatment, thinning, pest control and/or transplanting for adding, removing or rearranging the plants, and/or the processing station (18) is connected to the storage system (1) via a transport route. 19

19. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least two of the at least one storage system (1) , wherein the two storage systems (1) are arranged in two different rooms, namely in a first room and in a second room, in particular wherein the plants (7) in the first room are exposed to light and the plants (7) in the second room are not exposed to light.

20. Farm according to claim 19 and one of the claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein no light source bins (32) are arranged in the second room.

21. Farm according to one of the claims 19 or 20, wherein the storage system (1) arranged in the first room and the storage system (1) arranged in the second room are connected via a transport route (20) in order to move bins (3) between the first room and the second room, in particular wherein the bins (3) are moved between the first room and the second room by the lifting device ( 4 ) .

22. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a central control system comprises data

1) for each plant bin (31) defining

- if the plant bin (31) is arranged in the first room or the second room, and/or

- the position of the plant bin (31) within the storage system (1) , and/or the light setup, in particular quality and quantity with which the plant is illuminated, and/or

- with which light source bin (32) the plant bin (31) is paired,

- the air setup, in particular temperature, humidity, CO₂ level and/or the volume flow with which the plant is ventilated, and/or 20

- which and how much nutrients a provided within the tray (6) , and/or

- the fitness of the comprised plants in the bin, and/or in particular, storing for each plant bin

(31) a time plan defining at what time

- the plant bin (31) is moved between the first room and the second room, and/or

- the plant bin (31) is moved to the supply station, the processing station (18) and/or to manual inspection, and/or

2) for each light source bin (32) defining

- the position of the light source bin (32) within the storage system (1) , and/or

- the light setup, in particular quality and quantity with which the plant is illuminated, and/or

- the current status of the light source bin

( 32 ) , i . e . on or of f .

23. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plant bin (31) is constructed as a modular frame, in particular wherein

- the modular frame is a cuboid, in particular a cube, and/or

- adapted to support the tray (6) and the at least one plant (7) , and/or

- the modular frame consists of pluggable parts, in particular wherein at least one of the pluggable parts has only a supporting function, and/or at least one of the pluggable parts provides an interface for being gripped by the lifting device (4) , and/or at least one of the pluggable parts comprises the electric line, and/or the electrical contact and/or the microchip (14) .

24. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tray (6) is a closed container, comprising, in particular only comprising, plant openings for inserting the plants (7) and/or a water opening (17) in order to insert water and/or nutrients into the tray (6) , in particular wherein the water opening (17) comprises a cover.

25. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plants (7) are fixated on the tray ( 6 ) in a cup (71) .

26. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bins (3) comprise a microchip (14) .

27. Farm according to one of the preceding claims and according to claim 26, wherein the microchip (14) is adapted to control the light source (8) , in particular to control the light source (8) .

28. Farm according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting device (4) comprises a gripping device (42) for gripping at least one of the bins (3) and a winch system (41) for lifting and lowering at least one of the bins (3) .

29. Method for operating a farm according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps:

- the lifting device (4) lifts bins (1) , in particular plant bins (31) , from the underlying storage system (1) ;

- the lifting device (4) lowers bins (3) , in particular plant bins (31) , to the underlying storage system ( 1 ) .

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein plant bins (31) are irrigated and/or scanned on the way when moving the plant bin (31) between a position where 22 the plants (7) are exposed to light to a position where plants (7) are not exposed to light.

31. Method, in particular according to claim 29 or 30, for operating a farm according to one of the claims 3 to 6, wherein the storage system (1) comprises at least one light source stack which only comprises light source bins (32) , in particular wherein the at least one light source stack is arranged at a port (5) of the storage system (1) .

32. Method according to one of the claims 29 to 31, wherein the plant bins (3) are arranged within the storage system (1) in dependence of the plant type and/or the growth stage of the plant (7) , in particular wherein a plant bin (31) comprising plants (7) being processed when lifted out of the storage system (1) the next time is arranged closer to a port (5) of the storage system (1) than plant bins (31) with plants (7) not being processed next time.

33. Method according to one of the claims 29 to 32, wherein a plant bin (31) is not exposed to light for at least 6 hours after a treatment with pesticide.