After a successful implementation of hybrid lighting, a combination of LED and HPS, at the joint cultivation location of Westlandse Plantkwekerij (WPK) and P. van Geest in 's-Gravenzande, it is now the turn of WPK's cultivation location in Made in the province of Noord-Brabant.
Why was this form of lighting chosen here too? And what is so interesting about it? Now that an intensive test period is over, Wim in 't Groen and Tjebbe van den Berg, cultivation specialists at WPK, explain.
"Within the cultivation site in Made - as in 's-Gravenzande - we chose to start using hybrid lighting. This is because, with hybrid lighting, you have the controllability of LED lights and the warmth of traditional lighting. This combination is best suited for our situation at the moment," Wim says.
Archive image Wim in 't Groen, spring 2023
Magic mix
"In cooperation with the developer and supplier, Red Horticulture, and the installer, Boekestijn Elektrotechniek, we implemented the hybrid lighting on 1.5 hectares of cultivation area in Made. We are currently researching the most efficient light color for each plant type. This is precisely why the flexibility of controllable light is of great value to us," Tjebbe continues.
"Every tomato, pepper, and cucumber has its own light requirement. With controllable LED light, we can meet those special needs so that our crops can grow at their best. From our experience we have with both HPS and LED lighting, we are now perfecting the ratios for each crop."
But what makes this combination so magical? "On warmer days of the year, you don't bring extra heat into the farm by using LED. The downside is that on cold days, you miss the heat. However, this is precisely why a hybrid solution was chosen," states Tjebbe.
"An additional advantage of hybrid lighting is the energy savings. With the same amount of energy, we can give more light to the plants. This results in more efficient use of energy while, at the same time, we create an optimal growing environment. All in all, hybrid lighting offers a balanced mix of heat regulation, energy savings, and an optimal environment for the growth of our crops," Wim concludes.
For more information:
WPK 
[email protected]
www.wpk.nl