LED lighting for greenhouses
The main purpose of the EUDP-project is to develop and demonstrate an LED based prototype lighting fixture that will revolutionize greenhouse lighting as we know it. This objective will be reached through physiological studies of plants in the laboratory and field, and by developing an LED prototype. Lighting fixture development will focus on light distribution, power electronics and thermal management. The project is expected to result in a large-scale field experiment, where examples of an innovative LED prototype will be hung in one or more greenhouses. The large-scale experiment will demonstrate the expected energy savings, and provide a test of the function and reliability of the LED fixture. The design of the prototype must ensure that the resulting LED lighting fixture is energy efficient, robust and dependable, and a clear improvement on the existing technology. Both with regard to plant morphology and energy savings. The demonstration facility is expected to initiate a technology change in the horticultural industry, where the individual nursery gardener will be required to replace his lighting fixtures in order to be part of the technological advancement.
The project had 3 main objectives: 1) To develop a prototype of a LED-based luminaire that can replace the existing glasshouse horticultural lighting. The project have developed a working prototype and experimentally replaced the traditional HPS luminaires in a controlled growing area. The project succeeded in producing plants of comparable quality. However, the project shows that the prototype can be improved by: - being further integrated into the existing horticultural production technology (eg climate computers and purchase of electricity) - adapting configuration of luminaires specifically to each plant variety - adapting different cooling technologies to match specific customer needs - In some cases being combined with heat input to optimize the overall economy. 2) To achieve an effective electricity savings of 50-80% - equivalent to a value of approx. DKK 5 million for a medium sized nursery. The verified electricity savings was 40%. In test setups and in well defined and controllable production areas the prototypes achieved electricity savings of > 50%. It is expected that a new generation of LEDs (Q3 2010) will allow for greater power savings. 3) To continue prototype development and initiate commercialization of the project through the company Fionia Lighting A/S The shareholders of the company have allocated capital to the company to allow us to address the main challenges in commercializing the technology. It is expected that the company will enter a strategic alliance with a major industrial player in the beginning of 2011
Key figures
Category
Dokumenter
Participants
| Partner | Subsidy | Auto financing |
|---|---|---|
| FIONIA LIGHTING A/S | 1,55 mio. DKK | 1,55 mio. DKK |
| Syddansk Universitet | 0,61 mio. DKK | 0,15 mio. DKK |
Contact
Niels Bohrs Allé 1
DK-5230 Odense M
www.fionialighting.dk
Jacobsen, Bo ; Projektleder: Østergaard, John Erland Projektleder; Syddansk Universitet. Institut for Signaler, Sensorer og Elektroteknik, 29443555, bo.jacobsen@fionialighting.dk
Øvr. Partnere: Syddansk Universitet. Institut for Signaler, Sensorer og Elektroteknik; Energi Fyn A/S; Syddansk Innovation; PKM gartneriet A/S; Energi Invest Fyn A/S
