Plants can grow without sunshine and soil in a plant factory in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, Anhui province. [Photo from WeChat account hefeigaoxinfabu]

Plants are being grown without sunshine and soil, but with artificial light sources, photoelectron technology, and water at a plant factory in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, Anhui province.

The factory was established by a high-tech incubated enterprise in the zone, namely Angkefeng Optotelectronics Technology, a startup based at the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China.

The company has developed a film that, when put on glass, refracts light so that plants in greenhouse environments can grow without sunshine. The refracted light can also be turned into electricity.

Compared with traditional farming practices, the new method breaks limits in space, site and light. It can improve the output, taste and nutrients of vegetables through scientific control.

At present, researchers have managed to grow more than 100 kinds of vegetables and plants through artificial planting using world-leading intelligent LED lighting technology.