UK: The future is looking bright for LED plant growth lighting
With some significant installations now demonstrating clear proof of the advantages of using LED for plant growth purposes, the way is clear for a major expansion in this industry.
PhytoLux, a UK company based in Leatherhead, is at the forefront of this work within the UK. Founder and Managing Director, Steve Edwards, has taken a unique engineering approach in the design and development of the PhytoLux Attis range of LED plant growth lights in order to offer a commercially viable high light output solution.
“Our units are now in use with over 40 organisations in the UK ranging from universities, major research establishments and commercial growers” explained Edwards. “We have seen some very impressive results in the past 12 months and are now considered the solution of choice by many within the industry”.
As well as the unique engineering approach, Edwards and his team have ensured that they provide a comprehensive programme of knowledge transfer within the industry to ensure that the users of their lights understand the optimum processes for growing using this new technology. Backed by a healthy investment fund, PhytoLux has been able to provide a solution that is commercially viable, affording real profits to the organisations that they are working with.
“Whether its an energy save of up to 65% over traditional SON-T lights, or about achieving an extension to the growing season with higher yield volume then we have a solution that fits the requirements of most organisations” explained Edwards. “We have seen a tomato crop yield match that of our client’s Spanish operation through this winter which is a significant achievement and have seen ripened strawberries delivered to the customer on Christmas Day”.
PhytoLux supplemental top light installations can be seen in the glasshouses of over 14 commercial growers in the UK ranging from seed producer and propagators to commercial soft fruit, tomato, herb and bedding plant producers. Increase in crop yield and extension of season have been keen drivers for these organisations alongside the need to maintain high quality of produce. Within edibles, the use of the broad spectrum PhytoLux LED units has also enabled improvement in flavours.
“This is the beauty of LED”, continued Edwards. “We have developed a generic LED solution to provide a successful growth light for a wide variety of plant and crop species.”
Within the university and research sector, the PhytoLux team are working with major institutions on significant plant physiological responses to light manipulation. The importance of this work in support of the food production industry is now beginning to be realised.
“We have just launched a project with a major UK herb grower and controlled environment engineering company to develop a fully enclosed vertical farming solution that has relevance to both the research industry and the food production industry” explained Edwards. “With the support of one of the UK’s major retailers we hope to develop a working solution in 2015 which will significantly help advance scientific research but also have a discernible impact on reducing food miles for the industry.”
For more information
PhytoLux
Neil Brassington
T: +44 0844 880 4763
M: +44 0774 0024 007
Email: neil.brassington@phytolux.com
www.phytolux.com