Harvesting Hope: How Scientists Use Electricity to Grow Plants Without Sunlight

Plants need sunlight to grow. They use a process called photosynthesis to turn light into food. But what if they didn’t depend on the sun? What if we could grow food in complete darkness using electricity instead?

Researchers are looking into a new approach called electro-agriculture. This method uses a compound called acetate, made from carbon dioxide (CO₂) through electrolysis. This innovative technique skips traditional photosynthesis and offers the possibility of growing food in places previously deemed unsuitable for farming. A recent study published in Joule outlines these exciting developments.

Electrolysis, the process of splitting molecules with electricity, has been around for years. But applying it to plant growth is a fresh idea. Traditional photosynthesis isn’t very efficient—it only converts about 1% of sunlight into plant matter. In contrast, the electro-agriculture method could theoretically be four times more efficient. The process uses electricity to turn CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO), which is then converted to acetate. This acetate can be absorbed by plants and converted into sugars and amino acids, allowing them to grow without sunlight.

Imagine a vertical farm. Solar panels on the roof provide energy for electrolysis. On higher floors, electricity converts CO₂ into acetate, while crops grow on lower levels. So far, researchers have successfully cultivated mushrooms, yeast, and algae. They are now experimenting with small crops like tomatoes and lettuce and eventually hope to adapt staple crops like wheat and potatoes to thrive on acetate.

The researchers believe that adopting this method could reduce agricultural land use by 88% in the U.S., allowing for the restoration of natural habitats and better carbon storage.

This innovation could be a major solution to global hunger, which has been on the rise due to climate change and economic issues. According to the United Nations, about 733 million people faced food insecurity in 2023. Electro-agriculture could allow food production in cities, minimizing the need for extensive farmland and long supply chains.

“We aim to use this technology in places where farming is tough,” says researcher Feng Jiao. “With changing climates, many once-fertile areas are becoming barren, and this method could help secure food sources.”

Yet, can this technology really be scaled? Some experts are skeptical. Harold van Es from Cornell University questions whether it effectively addresses food shortages or is merely a novel concept. Producing enough acetate for the U.S. population could require almost five times the country’s total electricity use in 2023 without significant renewable energy investments.

Cost is another concern. Vertical farming often incurs high expenses due to artificial lighting. Electro-agriculture may cut some costs associated with light use, but its overall practicality is still uncertain.

Despite these challenges, scientists remain hopeful. If successful, electro-agriculture could change the way we produce food and the landscape of farming. Urban farming communities could emerge, and vast rural areas might be reforested. Researchers plan to enhance plants’ compatibility with acetate through genetic modification, centering on vital crops like rice and potatoes.

This technology could even find applications beyond Earth. On Mars, which has a thin atmosphere mostly composed of CO₂, electro-agriculture might enable astronauts to grow food in dark habitats.

For now, this technology is still developing. But researchers feel confident about its future. “This is just the beginning,” Jiao says. “We expect noteworthy advancements in the coming years.”

Whether electro-agriculture will become a key method in food production or remain a niche option is still unclear. What’s certain is that the idea of farming without sunlight is moving closer to reality.