Propane plays a key role in greenhouse and vertical farming, helping control growing environments efficiently. The Wildhorse Propane & Appliance team explores how this clean fuel supports the shift toward sustainable indoor farming.
PASO ROBLES, Calif., Oct. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Propane is an essential fuel for controlling growing environments in greenhouses. With the advent of vertical farming in the early 2000s, growing crops in stacked layers instead of traditional field rows can use 99% less water and 98% less land. The Wildhorse Propane & Appliance team takes a look at the role propane plays in the migration to indoor farming solutions.
Greenhouse, or "indoor farming," has been around since at least Roman times. Growing crops in sheltered, controlled environments extends growing seasons, protects sensitive crops from cold and heat, conserves water, reduces reliance on pesticides, and increases crop yield. Vertical and hydroponic farming are relatively new concepts. Although the processes differ, "greenhouse" is often used to reference growing plants in any kind of controlled environment. Regardless of the growing methods, leveraging propane for operations is a dollar-wise decision that provides:
- Reliable temperature control, ensuring crops are kept at ideal temperatures regardless of the weather and reducing loss.
- Cost-effective operations, due to pricing that is more stable than electricity or diesel. Propane also burns more efficiently, delivering temperature control at a more affordable rate.
- Fewer greenhouse gases, producing lower levels of pollutants, and burning cleaner than other fuels.
- Backup power in the event of a grid failure.
Wildhorse Propane has been delivering propane to Watsonville and other agricultural communities since 1980. Propane plays a vital role in all aspects of life throughout the Wildhorse propane service area. The team is committed to supporting the quality of life throughout Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Today's farmers face challenges that include loss of farmland, environmental changes, global economic influences, and migration from rural life to urban lifestyles. Innovations like vertical farming have the potential to revolutionize farming and the nation's food supply. Propane has an important role in that potential.
Losing farmland regardless of the cause does not change the nation's food demands. California is the leading agricultural producer in the nation, and the world's fifth-largest. In October 2024, the American Farmland Trust reported that just under 50,000 acres of California's agricultural land are being lost annually. "California converted 466,000 acres of agricultural land to urban, highly developed, and low-density residential uses between 2001-2016." In the past nine years, since 2017, another 332,197 acres have been lost.
Losing small farms has a particularly important local impact. The American Farmland Trust article describes the importance of small farms (up to 180 acres), as filling critical and "often under-utilized roles" for local food economies. For small farmers, converting a portion of operations to greenhouse or vertical farming has the potential to increase yields for some crops, using less land and resources.
On the national front, the successful turnaround of vertical farming pioneer AeroFarms, from a 2023 bankruptcy, is seen by many as an indicator of the future of vertical farming. PERC, the Propane Education & Research Council, sees a critical role for propane in the future of vertical farming.
The Watsonville propane service is looking forward to continuing to support local farms and innovations in California agriculture.
Wildhorse Propane & Appliance
50557 Wildhorse Road
King City, CA, 93930
(831) 385-4827
Media Contact
Jacquelyn Iddings, Access Publishing, 8052269890, [email protected]
SOURCE Wildhorse Propane & Appliance
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