LED technology creates new opportunities to control light and climate more efficiently. By separating the lighting strategy from greenhouse temperature, growers gain more flexibility to respond to natural light, energy costs and the needs of the crop.
Control the climate and lighting system
More than an energy-saving technology
One of the biggest opportunities to save energy in artificial lighting is replacing HPS with LED. Most growers know that LED can significantly reduce electricity consumption per hour. But the overall savings can be even greater because the technology changes more than the amount of electricity used for lighting.
HPS and LED installations affect the greenhouse climate differently. LED lighting produces less radiant heat, which means it has a more limited effect on greenhouse and crop temperature. As a result, lighting and climate can be controlled more independently.
This creates new opportunities, but also requires a different way of thinking about the interaction between light, temperature and plant activity.
Control light and climate more independently
When lighting has less direct influence on temperature, growers gain more flexibility in their lighting and climate strategies. The lighting installation can be adjusted more quickly in response to changing energy costs or the amount of natural sunlight, while the greenhouse climate can be managed more independently.
Instead of using artificial lighting according to a fixed strategy, growers can respond more dynamically to the conditions of the day. When more natural light is available, artificial lighting can be reduced. When energy prices change, the lighting strategy can be adjusted without automatically creating the same changes in greenhouse temperature associated with HPS lighting.
This makes it possible to use light when it adds the most value, while maintaining more stable growing conditions.
Combine lighting with screens and PAR measurements
Further energy savings can be achieved by looking at the lighting installation as part of the complete greenhouse system. Energy screens can help retain heat, while PAR measurements provide insight into the amount of photosynthetically active light that actually reaches the crop.
By combining LED lighting, screen strategies and PAR monitoring, growers can make more informed decisions about when artificial light is needed and how much light the crop receives in total.
This supports not only energy efficiency, but also plant balance and Light Use Efficiency. The goal is to provide the crop with the right amount of light under the right conditions, rather than simply using the maximum available lighting capacity.
From maximum lighting to optimal lighting
In many countries where artificial grow lights are widely used, a transition is taking place from maximum lighting to optimal and efficient lighting.
LED technology creates the flexibility needed for this transition. By controlling lighting and climate more independently, responding to natural sunlight and energy costs, and using measurements to understand what the crop actually receives, growers can use artificial light more strategically.
The aim is no longer simply to provide as much light as possible. It is to create the right balance between light, climate, energy use and plant activity.
Want to dive deeper into efficient lighting strategies? Explore our e-book How Artificial Lighting Can Optimize Efficiency for more practical insights.
Continue reading
Greenhouse microclimate: Why climate control isn’t enough
Open: Greenhouse microclimate: Why climate control isn’t enough
The Rhizophagy Cycle: What happens between roots and microbes?
Open: The Rhizophagy Cycle: What happens between roots and microbes?
