Pink Light Coming Soon to a Greenhouse Near You
Photo: Derrick Turner
The Michigan State University (MSU) Plant Science Research Greenhouse Facility, working with the university’s Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, has installed colored LEDs inside two of its greenhouse ranges to cut energy consumption, save money, and power research that’s helping the state’s growers.
“This project combines this special group of people to bring new technology on campus,” says Erik Runkle, a professor in the Department of Horticulture and an MSU Extension specialist. “We’re bringing a cost and energy savings to campus along with benefits to science as well.”
As an Extension specialist, Runkle is communicating the benefits of the lights with Michigan growers, who drive the third most lucrative greenhouse crop industry in the U.S. As co-chair of MSU’s greenhouse faculty user’s committee with University Distinguished Professor Tom Sharkey, Runkle is helping the Spartan greenhouse team lead by example.
The team began work to install LEDs in one greenhouse in 2019, taking advantage of a special fund that is supported by rebates from previous work. When old equipment is updated with more energy-efficient systems at MSU, the group typically gets rebates from utility companies. Those rebates then go into the fund to help pay for future purchases that promote sustainability. The greenhouse’s LED project was a perfect use case, said Guy Halsey, an electrical engineer with IPF’s Planning, Design and Construction group.
Continue reading at MSUToday.com.
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