LED lighting spurring growth in indoor farming
Although horticultural light-emitting diode (LED) products have been commercially available for a decade, they’re now beginning to pick up steam as the technology and its quality advances. Today, LEDs are more efficient, and the additional benefit of supplying the correct wavelengths of light to improve crop yield has made them the lighting technology of choice in a growing number of facilities.
"LED technology is able to greatly improve the profitability of indoor farming, which is leading to a boom in the growth of such facilities," says Jesse Foote, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. "By increasing crop yields and allowing more efficient use of energy and space, LEDs are leading to a boom in new indoor food production facilities."
According to the firm’s report – titled "LED Lighting for Horticultural Applications" – the low heat output of LED lighting allows growers to place lights closer to plants without singeing leaves and without needing additional heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, allowing a much greater density of plants within vertical indoor facilities. At the same time, the fine-tuned application of specific wavelengths of light from LEDs can increase crop yield by up to 30% depending on the plant species.
The report analyzes the global market for lighting within horticultural applications. The study provides an analysis of the market issues, including drivers and trends, barriers, cost issues, and technological developments associated with lamps and luminaires intended for horticultural use. Global market forecasts for unit sales and revenue, segmented by region, horticultural type, lamp type, equipment type, and construction type, extend through 2024.
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