Selecting the lighting system is quite a significant investment for a cannabis grower. “For the lighting system, the challenges faced by large-scale growers include the initial investment of lighting fixtures, electricity costs, the heat dissipation problem, the problem of light attenuation of lighting fixtures, the problem of uniformity of spectrum, and the problem of unified control, and so on,” says Charlie Yang with HarveLite. “Considering the fierce market competition in the industry, it is critical to rely on a lighting system that allows growers to consistently grow high-quality cannabis.”
Lighting systems and controllers
There are quite some challenges that come with lighting systems. “Controllers, for instance,” adds Charlie. “Common controllers only have the function with time settings, or to adjust the light output. They cannot quickly adjust the supplemental lighting according to the change of sunlight dynamics. Or a controller can only control the lighting according to the fixed PPFD value, but it can’t do that according to the DLI level required by the plant. Because of these DLI fluctuations, the quality of the crop can be greatly impacted.”
But there is not just that to take into account. Unlike more ‘traditional’ crops, cannabis is grown also for its chemical compounds. Research has shown that the plant's development can be influenced by different light spectra. “Cannabis growers have been mainly using HPS lamps over the past years,” Charlie continues. “With the development of LED lighting, utilizing the spectrum has become much easier. Bluntly put, LEDs make the grow light spectrum controllable and adjustable, which means that we can design a spectrum that is either cultivar-agnostic or cultivar-specific.”
That’s why HarveLite has invested a lot in R&D. “Through continuous research and analysis, we have listened to growers and their challenges. Starting from there, we have developed a full range of lighting solutions that are suitable for different applications as well as growth stages,” Charlie says. “For instance, our Solify Pro LEDs are made for greenhouses: they have a high-efficiency passive cooling design, a more compact and thinner fixture reduces the shadow area, and maximize the use of daylight. But we also have solutions for vertical farms and single-tier indoor cultivations. The Parsys Star is equipped with patented technology for multi-module interconnection, as well as with synch switch and dimming control. The Parsys Pro, on the other hand, is an ultra-high efficiency LED with a hard glue coating that protects the lamp while improving efficiency. The flexible folding design not only facilitates installation but also saves considerable costs during transportation.”
HarveStation: further controlling the lighting
Considering the inherent complexity of cannabis growing and the extent to which the lighting system influences the quality of a crop, HarveLite has developed an additional solution to give growers additional peace of mind. “HarveStation is an industrial wireless lighting control system suitable for greenhouse, indoor farming, and vertical farming,” Charlie explains. “HarveStation is easy to install, and the mesh network makes it easy to scale up. At the same time, the highly integrated and optimized control circuit allows the HarveStation to communicate over long distances, thanks to its strong anti-interference ability."
“In indoor cultivation, HarveStation can set the photoperiod configuration covering the whole growth cycle of plants; growers only need to set this once for year-round cultivation. In greenhouse cultivation, HarveStation can set supplementary lighting based on DLI. The system can automatically balance sunlight and artificial lighting according to DLI objectives to meet the demands of plants. Additionally, HarveStation can save and analyze the DLI data of sunlight and artificial light and form charts to provide judgment basis for growers’ cultivation strategies.”
Charlie and HarveLite can also help growers to come up with the best light recipe for their operation. “Thanks to our collaborative R&D effort with Chinese universities and Israeli growers, we have come up with the most optimized spectrum solution for any kind of grower, operation, or cultivar. These spectra include UV series spectra that are specifically used for cloning, flowering, and improved nutrient uptake.”
“Alongside our effort to design ever more efficient lighting solutions, we are promoting the development of cannabis when it comes to integrated technology. Our mission has always been and will be to provide growers with services such as improving planting efficiency, reducing lighting energy consumption and labor cost, and improving cannabis production and quality.”
For more information:
HarveLite
harvelite.com
ledinpro.com