Efficient LEDs Set to Outpace HPS on Nearly Every Front

LEDs seem to be a significant part of the overall solution to the cannabis industry’s struggle to balance the high costs of growing quality products and mitigating its damaging environmental footprint. Lighting is one of the critical components in the growing process that affects both. 

The status quo for grow lighting has traditionally been high-pressure sodium vapor lamps [HPSs]. They work when electrical currents flow through an ionized gas, often emitting light with a delay. HPS lights have traditionally been an acceptable choice for growing cannabis, mainly during the flowering stage, as their red spectrum encourages vertical growth.

However, the industry’s rapid adoption of light-emitting diode lights [LEDs] has become an invaluable must-have for growers, and as such, HPS is being pushed out and replaced by the industry’s most efficient lights. LEDs are powered by electric currents passing through a semiconductor—a diode. The result is a thermal management system that evenly disperses light and heat throughout targeted growing areas and periods.

A Dim Prospect for HPS

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a single HPS lamp contains enough toxic mercury to seriously poison anyone in the same room or within the general area of a broken bulb.  

HPS lamps require a ballast, and as they age over time, they require increased voltage, which eventually overtakes the ballast setting, leading to depreciating efficiency over the long run and eventual lighting failure.

In addition to producing light energy, HPSs also produce excessive heat energy for cannabis plants, which is not suitable for all three steps of the growing process. This overproduction of heat energy necessitates additional ventilation and airflow systems, increasing energy use and adding complementary costs to cultivation inputs. This has led to growers’ quick adaptation of LEDs.

Cost & Efficiency

A commercial cannabis grow room can consume 2,000-3,000 kWh of energy per pound of products produced. With electricity—but more specifically, lighting—being one of the highest input costs of production, ensuring that growers are using the most efficient lighting sources can save a significant amount of money and energy usage. 

The estimated cost of a 1,000-watt HPS grow lamp is around $500-$1,000, while LED lights can reach as high as $2,000 for high-quality 500-watt lamps. While this initial investment can be steep, the LED lights’ energy savings can justify the price of switching from HPSs to LEDs by paying off the cost to switch in just two to four years.

Where lifespan is concerned, HPS lamps generally last between 20,000 – 24,000 hours, whereas LED lights last between 50,000 – 100,000 hours. Combining these averages with the mid to long-term cost-savings, U.S. consumers and businesses are projected to save $20 billion per year by switching to LED lightbulbs. And with LED lights using up to 70% of the energy that HPSs do while creating less heat and lasting more than twice as long as HPS lamps, the savings generated from switching to LEDs is significant, especially for growers looking to scale up.

Other Benefits of LED

In addition to creating less heat overall than their older counterparts, LEDs also emit light directionally, with a 180-degree angle, whereas HPS lamps emit light over 360 degrees. This makes LEDs efficient at targeting growth areas while preventing infrared light from being wasted on unnecessary areas. 

LEDs’ low energy requirements make them compatible with renewable energy systems, such as solar panels. Additionally, LEDs tend to be smaller, reducing manufacturing demands for raw materials and production emissions. If the number of LED users continues to grow at its expected rate, the U.S. could see CO2 emissions fall by 100 million metric tons per year.  

Time to Make the Switch

While LEDs outpace HPSs on almost every front, cannabis growers who have traditionally used HPSs throughout their careers still have some hesitancy to convert from HPSs to LEDs. This reluctance lies in the cost: the cost of buying new, more expensive lights, installation costs, and complementary costs to configure the lights into existing growing models or vice versa.

While HPSs are phased out and replaced by LEDs, there is still room for HPSs currently in use. For growers looking for a short-term indoor cultivation solution for one or two growing seasons, HPSs can be an affordable and easily accessible option. Also, for growers experimenting with new, heat, or drought-resistant strains, HPSs could help replicate harsh environmental conditions indoors, although this is not ideal for most cannabis strains.

According to The Business Research Company’s LED Grow Light Global Market Report, the LED grow light market will grow from $3.1 billion in 2023 to $3.9 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.1%. The growth is attributed to factors such as, cost reduction and availability, research and education, regulatory support and incentives, and agriculture trends.

Notable LEDs

Superior LED Technology

Superior offers a personalized LED Lighting Strategy Session to explore how its full-spectrum LED grow lighting solutions can help manage the complexities and economics of lighting upgrades and purchases. Its patented full-spectrum LED grow light technology has an impressive 62,000 hours of runtime reliability and is designed to improve crop yields by up to 50% while also decreasing energy costs by 50%- 75%.

Fluence

Whether growing cannabis, food or ornamental plants, the Fluence SPYDR Series was designed for single or multi-tier growers who want to optimize their grow space for the maximum crop yield while producing the highest quality crops.

Horticulture Lighting Group

HLG 750 Diablo X commercial lamps are designed for growers who want to maximize crop yields with a grow light that offers both high intensity and high efficiency. This lamp uses 4 advanced design Diablo Quantum Boards® for an even light spread making it perfect for  grow tents, flood tables and rolling benches.

AC Affinity

The AC Infinity 5×5 LED Grow Light is designed specifically for large grow tents and indoor grows. It incorporates the latest LED technology to enhance plant growth and maximize yields. This grow light is the ideal choice, seamlessly combining advanced design with exceptional performance to revitalize your indoor garden.

According to The Business Research Company’s LED Grow Light Global Market Report, the LED grow light market will grow from $3.1 billion in 2023 to $3.9 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.1%. The growth is attributed to factors such as, cost reduction and availability, research and education, regulatory support and incentives, and agriculture trends.