Choosing The Right Light For Your Commercial Cannabis Operation: Part 2

Why Choose LED's

Now that we've gone over the pros and cons of the most popular types of lighting in Part 1 of this month's blog, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we believe LED lighting is the best option available on the market today. Just a few years ago this was not the case. With extensive research and development from universities, experienced cultivators, and industry experts, LED lighting has become a real solution for commercial cultivation operations. As the cannabis industry emerges in states across the country, we are seeing many start up operations looking to get their slice of the pie. Some states, like Oklahoma, are seeing so many operations open up that the price per pound has significantly dropped over the last year or two. It's important to recognize that this trend will be seen in other states as time goes on, especially if/when cannabis becomes federally legal. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you shouldn't pursue your dream of opening a commercial facility or that there can't be money made from an investment standpoint either. I just want to point out that not every operation will survive. The operations that are still standing when the dust settles will be the ones that were able to reduce their cost of production while continuing to improve yields and quality. There is more than one way to cook an egg folks.

So what does this have to do with LED lighting? Though a much higher initial investment is required, the right LED fixture will surely have a greater ROI (return on investment). This means you'll be making more money, faster, and for years to come. High quality LED fixtures will offer comparable, if not higher yields, with exceptional quality. As I've mentioned, LED lighting can save up to 40% on energy costs, requiring a smaller investment on HVAC equipment and power delivery (amperage), creating greater scalability through multi-tier cultivation, and reducing material and labor costs by eliminating the need to change out expensive bulbs.

Assuming you've chosen to make the investment in LED lighting, there are still many things to consider when making your purchase. As I mentioned above, not every LED fixture is created equally, nor should they be. However, there's a clear difference between specifically designed and poorly designed. The effectiveness of an LED fixture can be identified by quite a few factors. Diode quality, diode spacing, spectrum, build materials, canopy penetration, light distribution, efficacy, thermal management, passive or active cooling (with or without fans), wattage/intensity, fixture dimensions/recommended footprint, dust/moisture resistance, UL/DLC certifications, warranty, and price, all contribute to the overall value of a the fixture. You'll also want to factor in what you are receiving from the manufacturer. How is their customer service? Do you reach a real person or an automated message? Are they just selling you lights, or are they invested in your success? Will they spend the extra time to make sure you are purchasing the right model? Can they be used as a resource for cultivation advise? Will they work with your contractors and equipment installers to ensure an optimal environment? Do they have partners that can benefit you in other aspects of your operation? If you ask me, the answer to these questions can and should be the deciding factor once you've narrowed it down to a few manufacturers.

Now let's talk about design. You'll want to first consider your cultivation methodology to determine which features are most important to have in your chosen model. For instance, if you are only vegging with the light, you may want to look for a lower wattage light that is relatively affordable and offers a spectrum that will be beneficial to the vegetative stage. If you are looking for a light for your bloom room, you'll want to spend a few more dollars on a fixture that offers more light intensity and a flowering spectrum that has a greater ability to distribute light and dissipate heat. If you tend to grow larger plants (4'-6'), you'll want a light that can cover a larger footprint and deliver more photons with greater canopy penetration. If you are growing smaller plants in a multi-tier setting, you'll want a light that is tailored to close proximity cultivation, and a slim profile to create as much vertical space as possible. I think you get the point. It seems like a no brainer, but you'd be surprised how many operations we've visited that have clearly not had this thought process when making their light purchase, or have possibly been misinformed by one of the many lack-luster manufacturers in the lighting industry.

As many of you know, though we now assist in many other aspects of commercial operations, we entered the cannabis market as a premium lighting solutions provider and this is still our main focus today. Needless to say, I could go into much greater detail on this month's article. Our goal for these entries is to shed some light on topics that we feel need some clarification, and to help growers, owners, and operators gain a greater understanding on these topics. At the same time, I think its important to make this information as direct and digest-able as possible. Please don't hesitate to reach out to myself or a member of our team for more information on lighting, or any other topic we cover in the future. We are always looking to build relationships with people in the industry and are happy to help in any way we can. We hope you’ve found this information useful and have a better understanding of how to go about deciding which light is the best fit for your operation.

-Nate Tilley, Senior Cultivation Specialist

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