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A study published in Food and Energy Security reveals that while vertical farms in the UK can produce over 20 times the yield of traditional field farms and use significantly less water, they emit more greenhouse gases. Even with renewable energy, vertical farms produce 0.93 kg of emissions per kg of lettuce compared to 0.57 kg from field farms. The research highlights the need for vertical farming to become more energy-efficient and to explore alternative materials like coconut coir to reduce their environmental impact. Despite the current higher carbon cost, vertical farming holds potential for improving food security in the UK amid climate change challenges.

The agrifood funding landscape was dealt another blow in the first half of 2025, with new fund size dropping drastically from several years ago, but emerging private equity (PE) firms are finding opportunities, according to PitchBook.

The UK has a significant opportunity to lead in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), potentially creating thousands of jobs and attracting over £10 billion in investment by 2030. However, challenges such as high costs, limited production capacity, and insufficient collaboration hinder progress. The government's Advanced Fuels Fund and Jet Zero Strategy aim to support SAF development, while policies like the Revenue Certainty Mechanism and SAF Mandate are designed to incentivize production and use. Feedstock availability remains a concern, with reliance on imports and the need for renewable energy and green hydrogen to meet future SAF targets.