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    Growing tasty tomatoes and crispy cucumbers without daylight

     

    May 5th, 2021

     

    Pioneering the next step in indoor crop cultivation, we teamed up with RIAT, an innovative farming enterprise in Russia, to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and 19 types of green crops in a farm without daylight.

     

    Stretching over an area of 4,500 m2 – which is more than half the size of a standard soccer pitch – RIAT, an innovative farming enterprise located in Russia, already had a large enough growing facility.

    But the facility was missing a key component: it didn’t have any windows. The Green Revolution has come a long way since the 60s, now with a high-quality lighting system it’s possible to grow crops without sunlight.

    RIAT - facility lighting systems

    No daylight, no problem  

     

    During the research phase in 2019, RIAT achieved a yield comparable to advanced traditional greenhouses using Philips GreenPower LED grow lights. With the mix of Philips GreenPower LED toplights and Philips GreenPower LED interlights the light comes in both from the top and right into the canopy where the light for photosynthesis is needed most.

    As Vladimir Bukharev, Director at RIAT, says “As our building had no windows, we needed a high-quality lighting system to fulfil the intensive lighting requirements of tomatoes and cucumbers."

    RIAT can also tailor the light recipes to the specific needs of the different crops – from a variety of lettuces to herbs, cucumbers, radishes, and arugula. This adaptability has helped RIAT to grow high-quality crops and achieve a yield performance that’s comparable to traditional greenhouse operations. “

    RIAT - growing indoors
    Moreover, growing indoors means RIAT can use a central location, keeping distribution lines short, ensuring its products make it to the store within an hour of harvesting. This allows RIAT to sell 99% of what it grows and ensures shoppers shoppers have access to some of the freshest produce available.

    Growing indoors means RIAT can use a central location, keeping distribution lines short and ensuring its products make it to the store within an hour of harvesting"

    As such, horticulture LEDs can be very useful in improving food availability around the globe, which is a necessity as we need to produce 70% more food in the next 15 years just to feed our growing population.

    We made lighting smarter and more connected in homes and on streets throughout New York State. We worked in Vietnam and in the U.S. to improve education for bright minds. We took pioneering steps in lighting for indoor crop cultivation in Russia, and sustainable shopping experiences in the Netherlands.
    Read the press release.

    About the author:

    Imaan Faruqui

    Imaan Faruqui

     

    Global Integrated Communications

    For further information, please contact:


    Signify Global Integrated Communications

    Neil Pattie
    Tel: + 31 6 15 08 48 17
    Email: neil.pattie@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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