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Article 25 of 25 · Energy insight and dataAnalysing lighting energy costs in greenhouse horticulture: a guide for businesses
Direct answer
Analysing lighting energy costs in Dutch greenhouse horticulture means making the electricity use of assimilation lighting visible per crop and per moment. Assimilation lighting is artificial light that gives crops extra growth light and is often the largest electricity cost of a lit business. With data you see when the lamps burn, what that costs and where control over hours and intensity offers room.
- Clear definition
- Data-driven assessment
- Risks and opportunities visible
- Practical next steps
Analysing lighting energy costs in greenhouse horticulture: scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
A lit Dutch greenhouse business often runs its lamps through the dark months to keep a tomato, sweet pepper or chrysanthemum crop growing. That assimilation lighting uses a lot of electricity, exactly when energy prices and the strain on the grid are highest. For growers, managers and energy managers the question is therefore not only how long the lamps burn, but when, at what price and with what yield. Data analysis makes that connection visible.
- Assimilation lighting is the largest electricity cost for many lit greenhouse businesses; use depends strongly on lighting hours and intensity.
- SON-T (high-pressure sodium) lamps convert less of the absorbed power into useful growth light than LED, which delivers roughly twice as much light per kilowatt-hour.
- Data links lighting hours to daylight, purchase moments and grid capacity, so you can weigh cost, peak load and CO2 together.
Insight
Traditional approach
Information is scattered across portals, documents, invoices or separate spreadsheets.
Modern approach
Data, context and interpretation are brought together into a clear decision picture.
Decision-making
Traditional approach
Choices are made based on averages, assumptions or occasional analyses.
Modern approach
Scenarios, KPIs and current measurement data make the trade-off more concrete and repeatable.
Follow-up
Traditional approach
Actions often stay non-committal or disappear into separate reports.
Modern approach
Follow-up actions, monitoring and reporting are linked to the same energy data.
Why is lighting such a large energy cost?
Assimilation lighting gives the crop extra growth light in periods with little daylight. That requires a lot of electricity, because the lamps burn many hours a day across large surfaces. The lamp type determines the efficiency. The classic SON-T lamp, a high-pressure sodium lamp, converts part of the power into heat rather than useful growth light. Modern LED delivers roughly twice as much growth light per kilowatt-hour, but radiates less heat. As a result, heating has to step in more often in winter. So the total energy bill is more than just lamp use: it is the sum of electricity for light and heat for the greenhouse climate.
- Lighting runs many hours a day across a large surface.
- SON-T loses part of the power as heat; LED delivers roughly twice as much light per kilowatt-hour.
- LED radiates less heat, which can raise the heat demand in winter.
- The real energy cost is light plus heat together, not lamp use alone.
What exactly can be analysed?
Start with use per square metre and per crop: a fruit vegetable is lit differently than an ornamental crop. Also record the lighting hours and the chosen intensity, because together they determine the kilowatt-hours. Link that to daylight: on bright days the lighting can be shorter or later. The moment of use also matters. Lighting often coincides with the evening and morning peak, when power is expensive and the grid is most heavily loaded. In areas with grid congestion that peak can hit the connection. Finally, the interplay with own generation and purchasing counts, such as a combined heat and power plant that delivers both heat and electricity.
- Use per square metre and per crop as a basis for comparison.
- Lighting hours and intensity, set against the available daylight.
- The moment of use relative to price peaks and grid load.
- The interplay with own generation and purchasing, for example a combined heat and power plant.
How does data analysis help you steer?
With a clear picture of your lighting data you can make well-founded choices about what to adjust. You can fine-tune the lighting strategy: light differently, less or more cleverly by shifting hours to cheaper or quieter moments and linking intensity to daylight. This lowers the bill, reduces the peak on your connection and limits the CO2 behind your power. Research within Kas als Energiebron shows that intelligent control of assimilation lighting can substantially lower electricity use. The limit is clear: the crop comes first. Light is growth, so cultivation requirements and desired production set the lower bound. Data helps you choose the cheapest and cleanest route within those limits.
- Shift lighting hours to cheaper and quieter moments on the grid.
- Link intensity to daylight instead of lighting at a fixed level.
- Lower the peak on the connection, which helps in areas with grid congestion.
- Cultivation requirements stay leading: the crop sets the lower bound of the lighting.
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