In the world of horticulture, the conversation around dynamic lighting has been ongoing for years. However, for growers, the real question has always been: How flexible can you truly be when you’re limited to adjusting the intensity of your lighting fixtures? Recognizing this limitation, Theoharis Ouzounis, the newly appointed Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at RED Horticulture, champions the potential of a fully flexible LED lighting solution. Ouzounis firmly believes that with the right knowledge and adaptable fixtures, growers can tailor the light spectrum to meet their plants’ evolving needs throughout the day and the season. This not only opens the door to significant energy savings but also ensures optimal crop yields.
A Paradigm Shift in Horticulture
“The right knowledge and the right fixtures enable growers to tailor the spectrum to the plants’ needs throughout the day and the season. This opens the door to energy savings without compromising yields,” affirms Ouzounis. With this visionary perspective in mind, the founders behind RED embarked on a mission to develop flexible lighting solutions for the greenhouse industry, effectively making photobiology an indispensable tool for growers looking to enhance the sustainability and profitability of their businesses.
This year marked a significant milestone for RED with the inauguration of their research facility, PARC. Equipped with four dedicated grow rooms, PARC serves as the epicenter for extensive crop trials involving a range of greenhouse crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, young plants, strawberries, peppers, and floricultural crops. Moreover, recognizing the burgeoning demand and unique requirements of the cannabis market, RED is actively pursuing licenses to conduct trials with cannabis. Plans are underway to further expand these facilities, potentially including the addition of greenhouses in the near future.
Adaptive Lighting for Optimal Results
Ouzounis explains, “The optimum light spectrum changes throughout the season and during the day. While intensity is a crucial component, it’s not the only one. The spectrum must adapt to the specific circumstances inside and outside the growing facility.” Dynamic lighting, a hallmark of RED’s approach, allows for real-time adjustments to meet the evolving needs of plants throughout the day and to adapt to fluctuating electricity prices. Growers gain precise control over their crops’ growth conditions, including the ability to modify lighting profiles throughout different seasons.
Beyond its innovative lighting solutions, RED Horticulture incorporates advanced sensor technology into its systems. These sensors collect vital data on humidity, temperature, and CO2 levels, all seamlessly integrated into the MyRED centralized system. This data-driven approach enables real-time recommendations and adjustments based on predictive analytics and sensor inputs, resulting in a fully controllable and responsive environment that ensures optimal photobiological conditions while reducing energy consumption.
Sustainability, Efficiency, and Profitability
Haris summarizes the RED solution as a combination of flexible lights, growing knowledge, and sensor inputs. This unique blend empowers growers to manage their crops efficiently in terms of spectrum and intensity while concurrently achieving significant energy savings. The research team at RED has already achieved impressive results, demonstrating that growers can maintain the same yield while reducing energy consumption by up to 30 percent. This serves as a compelling example of what photobiology can accomplish – providing a more sustainable solution that is vital for the industry’s sustainability and growers’ profitability.
Moreover, dynamic lighting offers growers the much-needed flexibility to respond effectively to challenges such as virus pressures and shifting market demands. Ouzounis emphasizes, “Different varieties respond differently to light. A fully dynamic lighting solution is the only way to effectively respond to these challenges, ensuring continued success.”
Expanding the Vision
Haris, with his extensive experience in Controlled Environment Agriculture and the lighting industry, brings a wealth of expertise to RED Horticulture. The company has rapidly expanded in recent months, now boasting a team of over 35 members, including a dedicated team based in the Netherlands. RED is actively seeking further expansion, with open positions for a commercial director, sales representatives, a marketing manager, and a business developer, reinforcing its unwavering commitment to innovation and global growth.
In conclusion, RED Horticulture stands at the forefront of horticultural innovation, revolutionizing the way growers approach lighting solutions and crop management. With sustainability, efficiency, and profitability as their guiding principles, RED is poised to shape the future of horticulture on an international scale.