Three companies which are part of Growers United, a cooperation of vegetable growers, have upgraded their lit tomato cultivation with Philips GreenPower LED toplighting to realize a significantly higher production. Growers United Invest and Roots have chosen the Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force 3500 (TLF) for respectively 7 (location Prominent Groeneweg) and 8 ha, and Schenkeveld has been equipped 6,4 ha with the Philips GreenPower toplighting compact 2200 (TLC). The modules, which produce more light at an equal energy usage and have a longer lifespan, will replace half of the existing HPS lights. Signify will also support the companies to accelerate the learning process even more.
The members of growers’ association Growers United work closely together on the topics of sustainability, innovation and developing knowledge, and Prominent Groeneweg plays a leading role in this. The three companies have been looking for an LED-solution to take them a big step forward in light levels and sustainability. Signify’s new Philips Greenpower LED toplighting modules have accelerated the situation.
The sum of all the factors
“It’s a sum of all the factors”, Cornelis de Rijke from Prominent Groeneweg explains. “The modules combine a high amount of light with a high efficiency. Furthermore, their lenses enable a perfectly uniform light distribution. What also appeals to us is the proven quality of the products and the technical and cultivation knowledge that Signify brings. That will give us an even better return on investment from the installations.”
Installer Stolze has replaced half the existing HPS modules over 7 ha of midi plum vine tomatoes with the toplighting force modules, raising the total light level with almost 50% to 265 µmol/m2/sec.
More energy to the truss
Luc van der Knaap from Roots (26 ha mini cherry vine tomatoes) has also chosen for the Philips Greenpower LED toplighting force. “Installer Stolze has switched our biggest greenhouse of 8 ha to hybrid lighting with Philips LED”, he says. “It is our goal to realize a higher winter production while using the same amount of energy. Thanks to the higher light level more energy goes to the trusses, and we can maintain more fruits per truss in winter. The quality of the product will also increase somewhat.”
Extra light, higher production
Colleague Joost Barendse from Schenkeveld considers the Philips GreenPower toplighting compact to be the best option. This will be a better fit for the somewhat lower 6,4 ha greenhouse and also has an even higher return at a slightly lower light output compared to the toplighting force. “A new light plan was made based on five modules per trellis (a light above each path), which provides 250 µmol/m2/sec of grow light.”
“The trick is to efficiently convert the extra light into extra production”, the grower remarks. “That takes sufficient growth strength and speed, so a slightly higher 24 hour- temperature.”
Stolze Installatietechniek provided the installation at Schenkeveld, together with BG Installatie and Kandelaar Elektrotechniek.
Cultivation support
Signify’s plant specialist Erik Stappers supports the companies to make optimal use of their lighting installations as quickly as possible. “A lot goes into tuning the lighting correctly to the chosen cultivation strategy and the changing circumstances”, he explains. “The high energy prices complicate matters even further. We have already gathered a couple of times to share our experiences and knowledge. We want to keep doing that during the lighting season.”
