Since 2020, Van Gog Nurseries has been using LED lighting in the greenhouse during the darker months of the year. The growers consciously chose a hybrid lighting system in which they combined the existing SON-T lamps with new LED lamps. The heat SON-T lamps provide is necessary to 'activate' the top of the crop (the growth point), as they explain in a new video in the series 'Van Gog's Green Journey to a Sustainable Future.'
On top of that, when there is a surplus of energy in the grid, the growers let the LED lamps burn for an extra hour. LED lamps are dimmable and also better suited for switching: you can turn them off and on again quickly, and can set different colors of light with LED lamps.
The application of LED lighting in greenhouses is fairly new. So there is not much knowledge about their long-term use, they explain. "The energy-efficient aspect of the lamps is certainly a big advantage. In addition, we also need to keep an eye on other aspects that still require further development. For example, the search for the right light spectrum for cucumber cultivation is under investigation."
"At Van Gog, we will continue to pioneer with the use of LED lighting. And above all, we continue to think carefully about the bigger picture."