[1] The aim of CEA is to provide protection from the outdoor elements and maintain optimal growing conditions throughout the development of the crop.
Controlled Environment Agriculture has the ability to produce crops all year round, with the possibility of increased yield by adjusting the amount of carbon and nutrients the plants receive.
Although CEA facilities share common characteristics for greenhouses, mushroom farms, and other indoor agricultural practices, they require different types of buildings, technologies, and workforce skills, such as software programming.
[9] In contrast to CEA systems used for greens and herbs, mushrooms can be produced in locations with minimal infrastructure and capital to start and maintain production.
Mushroom production can be adapted to abandoned and underutilized farm infrastructure including barns, outbuildings, high tunnels and storage facilities.
Low-tech solutions such as cloches or plastic film on field grown crops and plastic-covered tunnels are referred to as modified environment agriculture.
[14] A February 2011 article in the magazine Science Illustrated states, "In commercial agriculture, CEA can increase efficiency, reduce pests and diseases, and save resources. ...
Fourteen thousand square feet of closely monitored plants produce 15 million seedlings annually at the solar-powered factory.
[19] The CEA plant growing sector reported 16.55 million square feet (380 acres / 154 hectares) of indoor farms operating around the world as of mid-2021.
[27] As of June 2023, AeroFarms filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection citing "significant industry and capital market headwinds".
[31] The economics of indoor farming has been challenging, with high capital investment and energy operating costs[18]—particularly the price of electricity—and several startups shut down as a result.
[22][20] The high financial cost of investing in CEA presents a challenge that can only be overcome through research & development to innovate sustainable practices.