Our project is centred around the development of a Hydroponic Turbine, a self-sustaining agricultural system designed to enable farming in environments where traditional methods are impractical. By integrating hydroponic technology with a wind-powered turbine, our innovation ensures that crops can be grown efficiently without dependence on weather, space, soil quality, or other environmental constraints.
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L.E.E.D.S UTD
Innovation Fest 2025
About L.E.E.D.S UTD
UN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Empowered and Driven:
Delivering Solutions for Global Issues
UN GOAL 2: Zero Hunger – Our hydroponic turbine enables efficient food production in areas where traditional farming is impractical, helping to improve food security and accessibility.
UN GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – By integrating a wind turbine, our system generates its own renewable power, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources for farming.
UN GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – We utilise advanced hydroponic and renewable energy technology to modernise agriculture, making food production more efficient and sustainable.
UN GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Our system supports urban farming by enabling crop cultivation in space-limited environments, reducing dependency on long food supply chains.
THE STORY BEGAN
DESIGN STORY
Challenges
The primary challenge our project addresses is the lack of viable farming solutions in areas with unsuitable conditions, such as arid regions, urban environments, and places affected by climate change. Traditional agriculture relies heavily on factors like soil quality, water availability, and space, all of which are increasingly scarce.
Solution
Our hydroponic turbine offers a self-sustaining solution that requires no soil and minimal water, enabling efficient, sustainable food production regardless of environmental constraints. This innovation can provide a reliable food source in regions where traditional farming is not feasible, contributing to food security and sustainability.
Use Case
Our project is a self-sustaining hydroponic turbine that enables crop growth in areas unsuitable for traditional farming. By combining hydroponics with wind energy, it offers a sustainable food solution for remote or urban settings. It’s ideal for refugee camps, where poor soil and limited resources hinder farming, helping improve food security and promote self-reliance in vulnerable communities.
TECHNOLOGIES
List of Essential Tools and Technologies
THE PROCESS
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
Our prototype is an early-scale model of the hydroponic turbine designed to test the core functionalities of the system. It combines a small-scale hydroponic setup with a wind turbine, designed to power the system using renewable energy. The prototype features a growing area, a water circulation system, and a basic wind turbine for energy generation. While the prototype is not fully automated or capable of sustaining large-scale farming, it allows us to test the efficiency of the system, including energy production, water usage, and plant growth in a controlled environment. This early version provides valuable insights and will serve as a foundation for scaling up to the final product.
Online Marketing
Creative agency
Web development
PLEDGE
Impact on the market
Our hydroponic turbine has the potential to make a significant impact on the agricultural market, particularly in regions facing challenges such as limited space, poor soil quality, or unreliable access to energy. By offering a self-sustaining, low-resource alternative to traditional farming, the product supports sustainable food production in both urban and remote settings.
As the demand for sustainable and forward-thinking agricultural solutions continues to rise, our hydroponic turbine presents a valuable opportunity for a range of users, from governments and NGOs to urban developers and environmentally conscious farmers. Its ability to function off-grid, reduce water consumption, and operate without the need for fertile land makes it a cost-effective, environmentally responsible alternative that supports global efforts towards food security, sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate and resource challenges.
RESULTS
FINAL PRODUCT
We started with identifying a key issue: the lack of access to fresh produce in areas where traditional farming is not possible. This includes remote regions, urban environments with limited space, and areas affected by environmental or humanitarian crises. We researched existing solutions and explored how we could take things a step further by integrating hydroponics with renewable energy to create a fully self-sustaining system.
We started by developing initial ideas through group discussions and sketches, which helped us visualise the potential design and features of the product. Once we had a clear concept in mind, we used CAD software to create detailed 3D models of the hydroponic turbine. This stage was crucial for refining the structure and planning the layout of internal components
For the hydroponic system, we selected it due to its ability to grow plants with or without soil while using significantly less water compared to conventional farming. To ensure the system could function independently, we incorporated a small wind turbine to generate power, allowing the entire unit to operate on its own. This makes it ideal for locations with limited infrastructure or unreliable electricity supply. This makes it ideal for locations with limited infrastructure or unreliable electricity supply.
During the development phase, we also created a scaled-down prototype to test the practicality of our design and demonstrate its key functions. We used basic electronic components to simulate how the system would operate in real-world conditions.
Throughout the process, we focused on sustainability, accessibility, and innovation. Every tool and technology was carefully chosen to ensure the final product is not only functional and efficient but also adaptable to a wide range of environments where it could have a meaningful impact.
