For many growers, an LED grow light system is an important investment that can have a major positive impact on the business’s returns, particularly when careful consideration has been given to the financial returns (total cost of ownership) and the way in which a full LED grow light installation can contribute to a higher yield per square metre. We have developed a range of LED grow light systems and calculation models that we use to help you achieve your business objectives.
To look at investment in an LED grow light system, a one-off business case and the related ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ are drawn up. These often have a return on investment of five to ten years.
Ideally, your grow light installation and the associated business case will change over those five to ten years, as your business develops. Is your grow light system still aligned with current energy prices? Do your clients have new requirements and/or can you see new opportunities in the market? Do you have a new cultivation strategy? Perhaps there are new grow light techniques, like LED, that could improve your business case?
We are seeing many growers considering what an investment in LED grow light could mean for them and how they can increase their returns, so we’ve developed various calculation models and advisory services that we use to help you save money, with a low barrier to entry.
| Grow light system | Hybrid LED at constant light intensity | Hybrid LED at constant power consumption | Full LED |
| Energy savings | Up to 30% | Up to 45% | Up to 60% |
Changes in the market forced Nico and Albert Kiep to focus on cultivating chrysanthemums with higher branch weights. Hortilux worked with the pair to develop a tailored grow light solution to meet their new needs.
Norwegian consumers prefer produce grown in their own country – and that includes tomatoes. For Mjølsnes Gartneri AS this was reason enough to invest in an LED grow light installation, to further optimise production between February and October.
Despite some reservations about LEDs, the company decided to invest in a hybrid HPS/LED system. “I now have absolutely no doubts about LED anymore. The savings are in line with our calculations, and this year we’ve achieved the best product quality ever.”
The scenario calculation model, developed by Hortilux engineers, enables us to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of various LED grow light solutions. It means that we can calculate what a specific grow light solution will cost and yield over a depreciation period of, say, seven years.
Filling in or adjusting the specifications of various grow light systems allows us to make a comparison between, for example, one hectare of Full LED, one hectare of Hybrid LED and one hectare of SON-T – and then see what the cost difference is on the bottom line.
The scenario calculation model takes hundreds of variables into account. For example: the amount of sunlight that’s already available, the efficiency of various light recipes, electricity costs, and so forth. The scenario calculation model ultimately also shows the costs for each extra kilogram of production, as well as how much additional production is possible with the amount of grow light offered.
