Why it’s never been a better time to switch to LED grow lights

March 1st, 2022

As a grower, you are always looking for the best recipe for growth – ways to optimise results, minimise risks and increase yield.

As a result of this, there has been increasing awareness and experience among UK growers in using LED grow lights and custom light recipes to significantly improve results for crops. As the UK Government is now offering a scheme which can pay up to 40% back of the total cost of making the switch, there has never been a better time to deploy lit production.

The time to do this is now

The UK Government is offering a scheme called the “Farming Transformation Fund” which provides grants to improve productivity, profitability and enhance environmental sustainability. The farming transformation fund can pay back up to 40% of the total cost for switching to innovative farming equipment (e.g. LED lighting) that increases productivity and improves the environment, with the key aim being: reducing environmental impacts. As a grower, you can apply for this grant if your agricultural project is in England and the estimated cost of your project exceeds £87,500.

This grant can pay up to 40% of wavelength-specific LED lighting for horticultural crops, specific robotics and slurry treatment.

The minimum grant you can claim is £35,000 (40% of £87,500). The maximum grant per theme is £500,000 per applicant.

If your application is deemed successful, the UK government will send you a funding agreement – allowing you to start on your project.

Applications to this scheme close on March 16^th 2022.

Switching the LED lights on

Natural light often falls short on giving crops what they need to grow and flourish. With professional LED grow lights, you can control many aspects of crop growth to get better business results – year-round. When growing with LED lights, growers can predict their harvest, higher their yields with significantly lower energy costs. Whether you produce vegetables, fruits or flowers – in a greenhouse, vertical farm or other indoor facility – there is the best LED grow lights for your specific crop on offer. Take for example APS and FlavourFresh, who complete crop growth cycles with 100% Philips LED lighting increasing yield and quality of tomatoes all year-round. By moving to LED lighting, APS Salads and Flavourfresh are a testament to how 100% LED light can bring reliability of yield and taste all year round in growing fruit and vegetables.

Brookberries, Netherlands

A Brighter solution

In the past, yield such as tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, to name a few, have already been proven to grow well under 100% LED lighting and with LED grow lights. Farmers can increase yield, shorten growth cycles, improve quality, reduce energy usage and even steer certain plant characteristics. For growers currently producing without LED lights, the switch to year-round growing not only promises the opportunity for increasing the value of their business by capitalising on the lucrative winter market, but also streamlining administration and operations. To add to this, workers are no longer seasonal, meaning full time contracts can be deployed, helping growers benefit from a more experienced team. To take the step to year-round production, LED lighting is a key part of the solution.

In conclusion

Therefore, with the combination of the proven benefits of LED grow lights and the current UK government’s grant, the “Farming Transformation Fund”, it has never been more than the right time for growers to make the switch to LED from inefficient HPS lighting. Horticulture LED grow lights can help you increase yields, quality and consistency of your crop – make the switch to LED here.

About the author:

Nathanael Dannenberg

Signify Horticulture Commercial Leader, UK&I

For further information, please contact:

Signify – UK&I PR Manager

Nikita Mahajan

Tel: + 44 (0)7459751618

E-mail: nikita.mahajan@signify.com

About Signify

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2023, we had sales of EUR 6.7 billion, approximately 32,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for seven consecutive years and have achieved the EcoVadis Platinum rating for four consecutive years, placing Signify in the top one percent of companies assessed. News from Signify can be found in the Newsroom, on X, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors is located on the Investor Relations page.

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