Project: New 0.6Ha lettuce greenhouse
Location: Zuromin, Poland
Lighting: Hybrid 50/50% Hyperion 1750 LED/1000W HPS
Hyperion Grow Lights, a leading developer of award-winning LED technologies and horticultural grow lighting, announces that Polish tomato and lettuce grower, Pawel Karpinski, has chosen the Hyperion LED top-lights for his new hydroponic lettuce greenhouse.
At his farm in Zuromin, Pawel Karpinski grows tomatoes in 3.5ha of glasshouses but found it difficult to expand due to rising production costs, stagnating prices and growing international competition. In 2017, Karpinski started hydroponic production of lettuce in a new 6200m² greenhouse and in 2019 is doubling the size of this greenhouse to 1.24 ha.
Hydroponic production of lettuce is just developing in Poland with good growth in the market for fresh and living salads. Karpinski is one of the first growers to supply this local market, selling direct to large supermarket groups and delivering to distribution centres themselves.
The greenhouse constructed by BOM has diffused glass, energy and light break screens and a moving gutter system from FGM to maximise the number of plants per m². Energy prices in Poland are some of the highest in Europe and so Karpinski has decided to invest in Hyperion’s LED top lights in a hybrid lighting system with HPS to get the best out of both technologies.
In 2020 Pawel has decided to extend his greenhouse by another 6200m². For this new section he has decided to use 100% LED lighting and install Hyperion 1750 LED Grow Lights with HR+W light spectrum. The planned light level was 100 µmol/s/m², and the PPFD measurements performed after the installation have shown that the light level is even higher than planned thanks to the outstanding performance of the Hyperion LED fixtures.
The experience of growing with hybrid lighting over the winter of 2019/2020 gave Pawel the confidence to opt for 100% LED in the new greenhouse at a slightly higher light level. Some small adjustments to the heating strategy are required to compensate for the lack radiant heat from HPS but the saving in energy from 100% LED is a big benefit.
Commenting on his decision to choose Hyperion, Pawel Karpinksi said:
“LED is the next logical step in Poland because our electricity costs are very high, so the energy saving and specific colour spectrum is positive. One of the reasons to choose the Hyperion Grow Lights is their experience with lettuce in Holland and Belgium. However, with the cold winters in Poland, we also need the heat from HPS to raise the plant temperature and keep it dry, as we cannot ventilate when there is a heavy frost.”
Jonathan Barton, Director of Hyperion Grow Lights, commented:
“Our previous installations for lettuce have all been 100% LED but Pawel has made the right decision to first test LED in a hybrid installation, so he can benefit from the best of both systems during the cold Polish winters. The success of this test meant that 100% LED was the logical next step and we are delighted that Pawel decided to choose Hyperion again for this installation and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”