This article was first published in the November 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
This translucent structure is a floating farm. Designed by Italian startup Pnat, the Jellyfish Barge aims to alleviate food shortages by growing crops hydroponically, powered by solar energy. Currently on trial in Pisa, the Jellyfish Barge is scheduled to be launched on a canal in Milan and plans are in place to install a €2 million (£1.5m) one-hectare version in either Qatar or Dubai by 2018. "There's not enough arable land in these countries," says Camilla Pandolfi, agronomist and co-founder of Pnat. "They rely on imports for more than 70 per cent of fresh food. For food security you need systems that are able to produce food locally."
The greenhouse uses seven solar desalination units to filter 150 litres of water per day in a system designed by environmental scientist Paolo Franceschetti. Crops are grown using just water and nutrients; Pnat claims the prototype's hydroponic cultivation method will provide up to 70 per cent of water savings compared to traditional hydroponic systems.
A single Jellyfish Barge unit measures roughly 70 square metres -- around 120 units can be assembled on to a hectare-sized platform. Pnat plans to industrialise production and switch from a wooden base to an aluminium one, which would require less maintenance. The startup is also developing a network of sensors for plants to monitor environmental parameters. Pnat hopes to sell its floating farms for €10,000 which, according to fellow Pnat co-founder Elisa Azzarello, "is comparable with hydroponic greenhouses". We expect high growth.