What Is The Importance of LED Lighting To Indoor Growing?
What Is The Importance of LED Lighting To Indoor Growing?
In most indoor growing operations, lighting contributes about half of all equipment costs. Over the past five years, LED lighting pricing has fallen significantly, even as lights have continued to increase in efficiency. LEDs are expected to become even more efficient. They are also expected to have further developments contributed by research on different lighting wavelengths and lighting combinations–for example, combining the use of a specific wavelength of light with a second stressor to induce desirable characteristics in a plant.
Efficiency
The average LED lighting efficiency, which is measured by the light output per unit of energy consumed (note: this isn’t the best way to measure plant output when calculating your farm economics), has nearly doubled since 2010, from under 50 lumens per watt to nearly 100 lumens per watt in 2017. This trend is predicted to continue and 200 lumens per watt is forecast by 2030[1]. These efficiency gains will occur as prices fall. The efficiency of LED lighting also has benefits as they generate much less heat than alternatives. For example, in some cases, 50% of energy for LEDs are converted into light while HPS lights typically convert only 30%.[2]This allows lights to be placed closer to plants, so rows both linearly and vertically can be placed closer together. This can also lead to less of a load on your HVAC system.
Lower Variable Costs
Greater efficiency also means less variable cost. As electricity costs make up around a quarter of total production cost,[3] LEDs can have a major impact on long-run average cost. Goldman Sachs estimated that compared to fluorescent lights, LEDs cut electricity consumption by over 40% in 2015 and this is expected to rise to 50% in 2020.[4]
Fixed Costs Expected to Fall
In the past five years, LED light prices have fallen 85%. General LED light prices are forecast to fall by a further 70% through 2020.[5] At this rate, the fixed cost, which has been one of the largest barriers to entry of adopting LED lighting, will become much less of a challenge in the coming years.
Flexibility
LEDs offer flexibility for farmers in a few different ways. From a mechanical standpoint, they do not usually need a separate ballast and can be plugged directly into a standard electrical socket. They turn on instantly, without warmup time, and are brighter than alternate lights of the same wattage. Their efficiency and low heat output makes them a great option for small spaces.
From a research standpoint, they allow plant scientists to experiment to find ways to improve crop yield and quality. They can allow the scientist to mix light spectrums and intensity to their specifications with wider environmental controls of the grow room. This can include plant size and speed of growth, the light’s impact on the color of the plant and even flavor and nutrition.
Want to know more?
Want to know more? Don’t miss the 6th Annual Indoor Ag Con on May 2nd and 3rd at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Make sure to catch the session “What Are the Alternatives to LED Lighting for Indoor Farms?” with special guest Jack Griffin, CEO of Metropolis Farms. Also on the subject, catch “How Does LED Lighting Improve Beyond Hardware?” with Josh Gerovac, Horticulture Scientist with Fluence Bioengineering and Xander Yang, Product Line Manager with Sanan Bio. You can find the complete speaking agenda here. Want to attend? You can register here. Want to join our amazing variety of exhibitors? You can register to exhibit here.
References
[1] “LED bulb efficiency expected to continue improving as cost declines”, US Energy Information Administration March 19, 2014
[2] Figures from a presentation by Kurt Parbst of Envirotech Cultivation Solutions at 5th Annual Ag-Con in May 2017
[3] “Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming System for Efficient Quality Food Production” Edited by: Toyoki Kozai, Genhua Niu and
Michiko Takagaki, Academic Press, October 2015
[4] “The Low Carbon Economy” Goldman Sachs, November 30, 2015
[5] Source of figures is a presentation by Jason Green of Edenworks at 4th annual Indoor Ag-Con on April 6, 2016