Save some green by lighting your indoor grow operation with LEDs

Agriculture Greenhouse with LED Lighting

When compared to crops grown outdoors, those cultivated in greenhouses and other indoor grow facilities produce higher yields thanks to greater control over the growing environment. Agricultural businesses also choose to go indoor to grow more delicate crops that need specific moisture and light conditions to thrive. That said, greater environmental control comes with higher overhead costs because more equipment and technology are necessary to maintain specific conditions.

The type of equipment you purchase determines how much energy is necessary to run your operation. By choosing efficient equipment that minimizes energy consumption, you’ll owe less on your utility bills. Start your energy-efficiency journey by addressing your lighting setup.

Which to choose, high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights or light-emitting diodes (LEDs)?

HPS lights and LEDs are both commonly used in greenhouses and indoor grow operations, but not everyone agrees on the advantages of each. This can leave growers struggling to pick which technology is right for them.

When choosing a lighting option, growers should consider energy efficiency as it directly impacts operational costs. LEDs are much more energy efficient than HPS lights because HPS lights lose a majority of their energy to heat waste. Also, the excess heat from HPS lights means growers must pay closer attention to the temperature of their grow spaces. Some growers might even have to install complex ventilation systems to mitigate the excess heat HPS lights produce. In comparison, LED lighting stays cool while still providing high-quality light for crops. Growers who adopt LED lighting systems dramatically cut back on their energy costs, especially when they pair the lights with sensor controls.

Many growers who understand the energy efficiency of LEDs are still hesitant to switch to LEDs because they think HPS lighting provides a better quality of light. While HPS can produce optimum red and orange light, LED lighting systems can as well. Many LEDs are also highly customizable and give growers the ability to design the lighting environment they feel is best.

How LEDs can save your business money

HPS lighting often has a lower initial price tag than LEDs, which is one reason some growers chose and then stick with HPS fixtures. However, the added energy costs make HPS systems more expensive in the long run. In recent years, LEDs have increased in popularity as growers weigh the pros and cons of the two technologies. Some growers choose to go with LEDs for the longer-term utility costs savings, which improves their business margins. Others choose LEDs because the lights don’t require ducting or add-on equipment, like fans, to operate.

If you’re a PG&E customer, then you can receive incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, like LED lighting, from the Agriculture Energy Savings Action Plan (AESAP). This can help lower the initial investment cost of an LED system.

PG&E customers can upgrade to LED lighting for less

One horticulture facility in California collaborated with AESAP—receiving $200,000 in cash incentives to install new LED lights. This business reduced their annual energy usage by 2,200,000 kWh after replacing HPS fixtures with LED models. This new lighting approach produces 1,600 fewer metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, or the equivalent of taking nearly 340 gas-powered vehicles off the road for a year. They estimate the project will save them $500,000 a year in energy costs. The energy cost savings coupled with the cash incentives mean the project will pay for itself in less than a year.

If you’re looking for ways to cut operational cost, then don’t miss out on your opportunity to save big on new LED lighting. Get the ball rolling by filling out our contact form and an AESAP team member will get in touch to schedule a no-cost energy audit.

Posted September 19, 2022