Marc van Iersel, horticulture professor at the University of Georgia and member of the LAMP research and extension project, will be discussing the Lighting Cost Calculator that was developed by LAMP members. van Iersel will be speaking during Module 5: Economics of Crop Lighting on Nov. 14.
“Lighting approaches to maximize profits (LAMP) is a research and outreach project funded by USDA with the goal of maximizing profits by improving lighting systems used in controlled environment agriculture,” van Iersel said. “There hasn’t been a lot of research that focuses specifically on the economics, the profitability of lighting. LAMP members want to make a real impact on the industry and profitability is more important than anything else.”
The Lighting Cost Calculator was developed to help growers estimate what is the cost of providing supplemental light in greenhouses.
“The reason behind developing the calculator was if a greenhouse grower is considering installing or replacing the current lighting system, it is difficult to figure out what is the best economical option for the facility,” van Iersel said. “It’s easy to figure out the capital expenses because different light manufacturers can provide quotes on the fixtures along with any rebates that may apply. However, it is difficult to figure out what the operating expenses of those lights are going to be.
“The calculator tool helps to estimate the operating expenses for a given production area. The calculator allows growers to look at different scenarios before they decide what kind of lights they want to install. Hopefully the calculator will help them make better informed choices. One of the unique features of the calculator is growers can enter their zip code and the calculator retrieves typical light data for a specific location and can customize the operating expenses for that location.”
