Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) companies face many challenges; one of the most significant is lighting. Traditional lighting solutions are often energy-intensive, increasing energy costs and operational expenses. Furthermore, the additional energy consumption results in overheating, which can be detrimental to crops. Companies are looking for alternative solutions to reduce energy consumption and create a positive cash flow. Fortunately, some companies like HyPAR have developed innovative solutions to address these issues.
HyPAR‘s sun tubes offer an energy-efficient solution that consumes 50-80% less energy than traditional lighting solutions, depending on the location and season. By providing high-quality lighting at a reduced cost, companies can optimize their operations and increase profitability, making alternative lighting solutions a valuable investment for CEA companies.
HyPAR’s CEO and founder, Chris Walker, explained that their technology uses the sun instead of artificial lighting when it’s shining. The closer the grower is to the equator, the more sun they have to work with and the less artificial lighting they need to supplement. Their sun tubes pull the entire PAR range, sometimes offering a more intense blue and red light than other LED lighting solutions or natural greenhouse lighting. In addition, they supplement their sun tubes with LEDs for periods of low light to ensure that it does not affect the plant’s growth.
One of the significant benefits of HyPAR’s technology is that it dramatically changes the heat load equation. A facility built correctly, with sufficient insulation values in the walls and roof, will also enjoy the low heat transfer of the sun tubes. They estimate that the tubes release approximately 5% of the heat a greenhouse would experience, leading to less HVAC, less dehumidification, and less A/C.
Despite LED lighting becoming the preferred choice for growers, some still opt for less expensive, lower-quality LEDs or HID/HPS lighting to save on capital expenditure. However, HyPAR’s philosophy revolves around designing their business with the grower in mind as the most critical person in the customer’s camp. By prioritizing the grower and offering superior technology, they hope to become the go-to lighting partner for CEA.
While Chris regrets the lack of due diligence on behalf of growers when choosing equipment, he also acknowledges that it’s often an afterthought. Growers realize their mistakes only after not getting the necessary results to make their economics work. The use of far red is an excellent example of this. Growers supplement with far-red these days, but there grows typically weren’t built with these spectrums. Therefore, it’s crucial to research and choose equipment that meets the needs of their crops and operations.
Photo by Victoria Medvedeva on Unsplash
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