Example: Phalaenopsis grower Jan has bought a full-LED installation with 5% blue and 95% red LEDs with an efficiency of 3.2 micromole/Watt. He has a standard that gives light to his crop for 16 hours a day. We see in the measurement data that the efficiency of photosynthesis decreases after 13 hours. That means that 20% of the energy use is less efficient. Although Jan has chosen a high-efficiency spectrum of 3.2 micromole/Watt, this is less efficient when you look at light utilization efficiency of the crop.
What is the light utilization efficiency??
Light utilization efficiency is an important factor to consider to see how efficiently the plant converts photons into growth. This can depend on the crop, the color of the LEDs but also the climate. You find all this out by measuring what is optimal for the crop and what gives the best return on your investment. One way of realizing optimal light use is dynamic control by dimming the different colors of LEDs separately in a fixture.
By applying dynamic control we see a direct cost increase of 15-20% per fixture. The dynamic control is programmed based on the specific needs of the crop in your greenhouse. It is therefore essential that you install the right sensors in your greenhouse. You can see the results in MyLedgnd.
Will dynamic control get me a good return on these costs?
Dynamic control of supplemental lighting has many advantages for the crop and your wallet.
- Save energy and extend LED lifetime
- Maximize the use of natural light with total spectral understanding
- Achieve more consistent crop results
- Optimize and recognize patterns; for example, more blue light in the morning or red to far red ratio looking at PSS: the phytochrome balance
- A crop specific light recipe gives your crop what it needs at the right time
- Quickly adapt to changing weather conditions
- Learn more about your crop together with our experts
By programming the lighting based on the data in the greenhouse, we are setting the next level of sustainable light in greenhouse farming. It gives optimal results with the least energy consumption for lighting. In proven studies we see that dynamic control of LEDs realised a yield increase of 10% and net energy savings of 30%.
Contact Ledgnd if you want to know more about dynamic control in your greenhouse. Leave your details through the contact form or send us a mail directly at info@ledgnd.com. You can also call us at +31 (0) 113 40 50 39.
