174: The Hidden Power of Steam in Indoor Farming

Author: Harry Duran
Published: Fri 29 Aug 2025
Episode Link: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/174-the-hidden-power-of-steam-in-indoor-farming

Are you struggling to maintain soil health and reduce costs in your indoor farming operation? Soil steaming technology might be the solution you've been searching for.

In this episode, I speak with Hans Kristian Westrum, Chief Strategy Manager at Soil Steam, about their innovative soil steaming technology. Hans grew up on a farm in Norway and later pursued a career in business before returning to agriculture. His company, Soil Steam, has developed machines that use steam to sanitize soil and substrates, eliminating harmful pathogens and weeds without chemicals.

We discuss how Soil Steam's technology evolved from open field applications to containerized solutions for indoor farming. Hans shares insights on how their machines can effectively treat substrates, allowing farmers to recycle growing media and reduce costs. Recent trials with strawberry growers in Belgium demonstrated that steamed, recycled substrates performed as well as new substrates, opening up exciting possibilities for sustainable farming practices.

The conversation also touches on the challenges of balancing different market demands, from construction projects to indoor farms. Hans emphasizes the importance of focusing on containerized solutions to meet the growing needs of indoor farmers worldwide. We explore future plans for expansion into North America and the company's commitment to participating in industry conferences to share their research and technology.

If you're curious about innovative solutions for sustainable indoor farming and want to learn how soil steaming technology could revolutionize your growing practices, don't miss this fascinating conversation with Hans Kristian Westrum.

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Key Takeaways

0:00 Intro: Steaming soil for construction and farming

5:13 Early experiences with steam on the farm

16:53 Expanding into indoor farming and substrates

21:15 Research on steaming to eliminate pathogens

27:52 Positive results from substrate recycling tests

34:00 Focusing on container-based steaming machines

39:02 Closing thoughts and future plans

Tweetable Quotes

"We steam the substrate before they took it in the first time to have control. Be 100% sure that this is clean. These guys cannot take a risk on anything. If you have one disease in that coco coir or whatever you get, if something can happen, it means it comes from Sri Lanka and it can go by boat, what happens all this distance."

"We got rid of the harmful organisms that were there and the natural life was back two weeks after. It comes from surroundings, from the soil beneath and stuff like that."

"I think it's a fantastic combination. You can talk about sustainability, but if there's no saving money, it's impossible. We say that we can recycle one cube of the substrate at the cost of maybe five to ten dollars. Approximately something between 50 and 60, 70, $80 per cube."