August 2023 - 21

LIGHTING
I encourage growers to investigate AI-driven, adaptable,
dynamic LED grow light technology. Incorporating the
next breakthrough in lighting technique could be as
simple as a software update; no changes in hardware or
cabling are needed. Dynamic lighting solutions empower
growers with the flexibility to make those kinds of changes
seamlessly and successfully.
With the innovation in LED technology and economies of
scale created by increased market use, the upfront cost to
upgrade to LED is now very competitive with HPS. Energy
efficiency rebates are also widely available with electrical
utilities and help further reduce the capital cost of LEDs
and shorten the ROI. Looking at the operational side of
the equation, LEDs are now roughly twice as efficient as
HPS, so electrical costs are reduced substantially while
production and revenues are optimized. Taken together,
the financial performance of LED lighting systems offers
growers flexibility for the future not enabled by HPS.
Is there a big difference in lighting systems for large
versus small greenhouse growers?
MH: In every case, the lighting system should be tailored
to the grower and what they're trying to accomplish.
Lighting is a tool to empower growers. Your location,
crop and cultivar, and what's important to you and your
customer can all be impacted with dynamic spectra and
lighting, so we have to understand these first. It's not
so much about the size of the facility - it's really about
business objectives.
Greenhouse growers now have the opportunity to
create perfect lighting environments for crops all year
long, change crops at any time and adapt to plant and
greenhouse conditions. Unlike other lighting systems, realworld
applications show that truly dynamic lighting offers
real-time control of spectrum and intensity. Studies have
shown that it increases yield, quality, taste and shelf-life,
and saves energy.
How can growers buy or update with cost efficiency
in mind?
MH: Agriculture is a game of saving pennies on each
product unit and growing millions of units. With lighting,
that means considering the total capital cost of lighting
including installation and controls. I encourage growers to
think in terms of $/μmol because it's the most objective
way of comparing cost with lighting - take the cost of the
fixture and divide it by the flux or μmol/s of the fixture.
Let's look not only at $/μmol of a single fixture but at
the total lighting system combined - total lighting cost
including installation and controls/total lighting system
flux, which is the number of fixtures x μmol/s. The other
part is operating expenses. Growers are also thinking
Sollum Technologies LED grow
light solution in a greenhouse.
about efficacy or the efficiency of the fixture, measured in
μmol/J or μmol/W. Small differences in efficacy can make
a big difference in annual electricity costs.
Many growers forget to evaluate how much of a
difference dynamic lighting intensity can make in their
annual electricity costs. Sollum solution is dynamic,
meaning the light intensity can modulate from 0 to 100%,
and every installation is equipped with the intelligence
to react to natural ambient light levels, so when the
sun pops out on cloudy days, the Sollum solution
automatically adapts to save you money. Over the course
of a year, savings from dynamic lighting add up in a very
big way - our customers have seen as much as 15%
energy savings. Our dynamic grow light solution also
positions growers to secure the best energy rates available
from their electric utility suppliers by responding precisely
to demand curtailment events or maximizing supplemental
lighting while still meeting demand charge inflection
points of their electric utility rate structures.
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 21
Allegro Acres commercial
greenhouse installed with Sollum
Technologies 100% programmable
LED lighting technology.
August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2023
