Vertical farming layer structure and method for vertical farming using the same

1. A vertical farming layer structure provided as a single structure, the vertical farming layer structure comprising:

an underlying support for supporting a plurality of farmed plants;

a light-reflective upper surface positioned above and vertically aligned with the underlying support, the light-reflective upper surface being adapted to reflect light by diffuse reflection;

a plurality of light emitting devices positioned between the underlying support and the light-reflective upper surface, each light-emitting device being positioned to emit light along a respective optical axis oriented towards the light-reflective upper surface such that light emitted from the light-emitting device is at least partially diffusely reflected off of the light-reflective upper surface to reach the plants supported on the underlying support; and

a plurality of light fixtures, each light fixture supporting a respective pair of the plurality of light-emitting devices,

wherein for each light fixture, a first of the pair of the light-emitting devices is retained on a first lateral side of the fixture and a second of the pair of the light-emitting devices is retained on a second lateral side of the fixture opposite the first lateral side.

2. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light-reflective upper surface is adapted to diffuse more than 80% of the light directed towards the light-reflective upper surface for light in at least a portion of a range of wavelengths comprised between 400 nm and 1400 nm.

3. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the light-reflective upper surface is adapted to diffuse more than 96% of the light directed towards the light-reflective upper surface for light having a wavelength comprised between 400 nm and 780 nm.

4. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices includes a first plurality of light-emitting devices configured for emitting light at a first wavelength and a second plurality of light-emitting devices configured for emitting light at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

5. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first and second wavelengths are comprised between 400 nm and 1400 nm.

6. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of light-emitting devices is further configured to emit light at a first intensity and the second plurality of light-emitting devices is configured to emit light at a second intensity different from the first intensity.

7. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of each light-emitting device is non-vertical.

8. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the light-reflective upper surface is planar and further wherein the optical axis of each light-emitting device is angled relative to the light-reflective upper surface.

9. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the optical axis of each light-emitting device is angled at an angle of between 3 degrees and 9 degrees above a horizontal plane.

10. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light fixtures are elongated and are disposed parallel to each other in a common horizontal plane, the light fixtures being further spaced apart from each other in a transversal direction by a distance of 24 inches.

11. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting devices are light-emitting diodes.

12. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the light-emitting diodes are secured to a substrate panel and are disposed in at least one row on the substrate panel.

13. The vertical farming layer structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one row includes a first row and a second row extending parallel to the second row.

14. A vertical farming layer system comprising a plurality of farming layer structures as claimed in claim 1 , the vertical farming layer structures being arranged in a stacked arrangement.