What is the difference between LED and HPS grow lights

As a grower, you are always looking for the best recipe for growth – ways to optimize results, minimize risks and increase yield. You can realize this through predictable, high-quality, high production crops or plants delivered all year round. You aim to have maximum control over your investment and operational costs and want to find out how you can use LEDs to improve your business results. A successful LED based growth strategy will result in a couple of promises.

What is the difference between LED and HPS grow lights
What is the difference between LED and HPS grow lights

Control heat and light separately

High levels of radiant heat can stress or even burn the plants. With LED lighting you can control heat and light separately. You can apply higher levels of light to plants with 67% less radiant heat than HPS lighting. A lower crop temperature means you will have to raise the ambient temperature in your greenhouse and manage the related change in humidity.

More light, less radiant heat

One important aspect is understanding how to grow your crops with LED lighting. When comparing the energy balance of LED lighting versus HPS lighting, the conversion of electricity into light and heat is different. Using the same amount of energy, LED-modules deliver more light and less radiant heat. This does call for new growth strategies for high-wire crops.

Esther de Beer

Esther de Beer is Program Manager of Pre-development and Research at Philips Horticulture LED Solutions. She spends her days trying to make LED grow lights more effective. In this series of articles she explains the basics of how light works and how it affects plant growth.

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