Horticulture LED Driving the Future of Farming

On the industrial scale, indoor farms are increasing in popularity, since they are better equipped to overcome spatial constraints and extreme climates. In such indoor farms, artificial light plays a crucial role in efficiently managing the rate of plant growth.

Drawing upon its LED technologies developed for other lighting markets, Samsung launched its Horticulture LED lineup in May of last year to provide advanced lighting solutions to indoor farms. LED lighting is more efficient and has a longer lifespan than previously existing artificial lighting solutions. It is also easy to control the light spectrum of LED lighting and LED solutions are becoming a more attractive option for indoor farms.

Different wavelengths of light can affect plants in different ways. For example, wavelengths of 430 to 700 nanometers are required for photosynthesis, a wavelength of 450 nanometers promotes germination, 660 nanometers stimulates growth, and 730 nanometers or more helps plants to bloom and produce fruits. It’s thanks to these properties that red wavelengths (about 600~750 nanometers) and blue wavelengths (about 400~450 nanometers) have been the prevailing trend in indoor farms.

Recent developments have also emphasized the importance of green light with a wavelength of 550 nanometers, with findings that it can penetrate the lower canopy and thus increase the photosynthesis in plants found there. Since this was observed, interaction with a blue wavelength is now actively being studied also.

Based on this research, Samsung released its White LED package last November, with an extensive spectral range, including growth-boosting blue and red wavelengths. Full-spectrum LED lights can increase the nutritional value of plants and deter disease and pests. The bright white light can also create a more pleasant work environment than narrow spectrum alternatives, allowing farmers to monitor growth and inspect for disease with relative ease.

The package is designed to deliver strong reliability, even alongside the use of chemical fertilizers or under hot and humid conditions. The package is also competitive in price when compared to red LED products, helping to reduce the cost of establishing lighting systems in indoor farms.

Samsung raised the photon efficacy level of white LED packages to the highest in the industry, thus reconfirming the company’s leadership in this field. As a result, lighting manufacturers can use 30 percent fewer packages in each luminaire to achieve the same efficacy level as other lighting equipment, ultimately reducing the costs for indoor farms.

Packages can be selected according to the types of plants and the facility’s requirements. Samsung Electronics offers five white LED packages and one white LED module. The company has also designed one blue package and two red packages with a single wavelength.

As Will Chung, a researcher in the company’s Lighting Marketing Group (LED), explained, “Although it’s been less than two years since Samsung Electronics started its horticulture LED business, we’ve already received lots of positive feedback from the market for developing high-quality LED technologies. We’re committed to developing more innovative products that support convenient food production, and will continue to enhance our offerings with testing, studies, and experts’ advice.”

Grow Your Own

In the homes of the future, it will be possible to grow your own vegetables no matter the climate. Samsung recently showcased Chef Garden at KBIS 2019, an AI farming platform that integrates with the next generation of Family Hub. The smart indoor garden uses seed capsules, allowing people to grow small fruits, vegetables and herbs with only a small part of the plant. Chef Garden controls light, temperature and humidity to optimize plant growth. The system also utilizes fogponics technology, which creates a nutrient fog that delivers water and nutrients directly to the plants so that they can grow without the need for pesticides. With water kept to the minimum required, the inside of Chef Garden always remains clean. Chef Garden can also inform users when plants are ready to harvest and recommend recipes thanks to smart integration with Family Hub.

Fruitful Investments and Research

Samsung is supporting research and development in fields such as basic sciences, materials science and ICT through the Samsung Science and Technology Foundation. Samsung has funded 500 project grants for the Korean scientific community to explore since 2013, amongst which are technology research projects examining vertical farming and the acceleration of plant growth. In addition, it is expected that further discoveries garnered from ICT projects involving AI, IoT and LEDs will foster synergy between Samsung’s technology and industrial farming’s efforts to produce healthy food.

“One of the main objectives of this support project is to consider how technology might solve the environmental and food shortage problems society faces today,” said Doochan Daniel Eum, Head of the Samsung Research & Incubation Center for Future Technology. “It’s our intention to contribute a total of 1.5 trillion Korean Won (approximately 1.3 billion USD) by 2023, investing in technologies that can effect real change for future society.”

“This breakthrough in photon efficacy will go a long way in helping indoor farm owners to maximize plant growth and quality, as well as their profits,” said Un Soo Kim, senior vice president of LED Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to continue innovating white LED solutions optimized for healthier plant production as we solidify our leadership in the horticulture lighting industry.”

As a result of this industry-leading photon efficacy, lighting manufacturers can use 30 percent fewer packages in each luminaire to achieve the same efficacy level as the previous version of the LM301H, allowing for smaller and lighter lamp designs as well as lowered manufacturing costs. In addition, by using the same number of packages, the light efficiency of a luminaire can be improved by at least four percent, enabling indoor farms to reduce their energy use.

Samsung is able to achieve this advancement in photon efficacy by optimizing the chip’s light-emitting layer to convert electrical energy into photons with greater efficiency, while an improvement in chip structure minimizes light loss, delivering more light to plants.

Furthermore, thanks to Samsung’s advanced flip-chip design, the LM301H requires no wire bonding, which helps extend the packages’ performance and reliability. Titanium dioxide around the chip also ensures higher durability when exposed to agricultural chemicals.

To promote even more balanced plant growth, the white LM301H packages encompass a broader spectrum of light from blue and green to red, enhancing immunity from plant disease and providing greater nutritional value.

Samsung expects to begin mass producing the new LM301H packages at the end of this month and will be showcasing them at LIGHTFAIR International 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 21 to 23.

LM301H Specification:

* Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in stacked layers to optimize the use of space. It typically takes place in controlled indoor environments.

** Photon efficacy (PE) indicates the light efficacy level for photosynthesis in plants and is measured in micromoles per joule (μmol/J). Efficacy is the measure of how well a light source produces visible light.

*** Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) indicates the total amount of photons in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range – a spectral range between 400 and 700nm – that can enhance plant photosynthesis and is measured in micromoles per second (μmol/s).

According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Such a large population would require approximately 1.7 times more food than is available now.

One potential solution for addressing the world’s need for more healthy and abundant food production is vertical farming – a process that’s growing increasingly popular in places like Europe, the U.S. and Japan, and involves food being grown indoors in vertically stacked layers.

Stable Food Production

What makes vertical farming such an efficient and viable means to produce food are the facts that it (1) saves space, and (2) allows farmers to grow crops all year round, regardless of climate or season.

Interest in vertical farming has been rapidly growing in recent years. Market research firm MarketsandMarkets predicts that the global market for vertical farming will be worth $18.4 billion by 2022, which is twice as much as the market was valued in 2016 ($9 billion).

Innovating for a Greener Future

The movement for healthy, sustainable food production is spreading across the world, and Samsung is committed to driving innovation in this area.

Last spring, Samsung announced the launch of a wide range of horticulture LED offerings that produce a broad spectrum of light to support healthy plant growth. On April 23, Samsung introduced an update to the LM301H, which features the highest photon efficacy among today’s mid-power white LED packages. The company has also revealed a number of exciting innovations designed to make it easy for consumers to grow and enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables from the comfort of their home.

Samsung also made waves at this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas with its all-new Chef Gardentechnology, which offers a simple, environmentally friendly way to grow food at home. Chef Garden integrates seamlessly with Samsung’s next-generation Family Hub refrigerator, and automatically regulates light wavelengths to enable users to grow and enjoy fresh, pesticide-free fruit and vegetables all year round.

“There is a growing interest in healthy food,” said Chohui Kim of Samsung Electronics’ LED Technology Center. “Horticulture LED is playing a key role in vertical farming and indoor crop cultivation, and we are looking to expand its applications in various fields.”

The second part of Samsung Electronics’ “Going Green” series will highlight technology trends and the company’s efforts regarding eco-friendly crop cultivation in detail.