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LEDs Gain Ground in Controlled Environment Agriculture Space by Tim Kridel

William Attardi on April 10, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • LED lighting has shifted from niche to mainstream in controlled environment agriculture, driven by improved spectrum, output, and cost reductions.
  • Energy efficiency of LEDs allows growers to achieve higher light levels with less power, enabling cost savings and increased crop productivity, especially in high-value sectors like cannabis.
  • Dynamic spectrum control enhances crop quality and yield by allowing growers to customize light recipes for different growth stages, improving nutritional density and shelf life.
  • Utility rebates and incentives significantly offset the higher upfront costs of LEDs, making them a financially attractive option for growers investing in long-term infrastructure.
  • LEDs’ lower heat output impacts HVAC and humidity management, creating new opportunities for electrical contractors to optimize greenhouse climate control systems.

Those are just a few examples of artificial lighting’s role in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities, which include greenhouses, warehouses, vertical farms, and even caves. The CEA market will grow from nearly $10 billion this year to $27.7 billion by 2035, Business Research Insights estimates. LED lighting is helping enable that growth. LEDs Gain Ground in Controlled Environment Agriculture Space | EC&M

Lafayette College Partners with Sollum Technologies to Advance Precision Agriculture Research

William Attardi on February 8, 2025

Lafayette College, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Elliott, is embarking on a groundbreaking research initiative to measure the effects of advanced LED lightingon the growth and quality of various crops. The lab, based in Easton, Pennsylvania, uses Sollum Technologies’ dynamic LED lighting solution to tailor optimal growing conditions for each crop. The research area consists of 12 independent cells, each measuring 1m x 1m, equipped with advanced control and monitoring systems. These systems regulate temperature, humidity, vapour pressure deficit(VPD), light timing, CO₂ levels, irrigation volume, substrate electrical conductivity (EC), and more. This design allows precise replication of varied growing conditions, and tests of ecosystem responses along environmental gradients, setting a new standard for agricultural research.  [News] Lafayette College Partners with Sollum Technologies to Advance Precision Agriculture Research – LEDinside

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”