LED vs HPS Greenhouse Lighting
Supplemental lighting is now one of the largest lifetime OPEX line items in high-tech greenhouses. LED has overtaken HPS on efficacy and lifetime — but HPS still wins on heat contribution and CAPEX in some scenarios.
How do I compare LED vendors fairly?
Ask every vendor for photon efficacy (µmol/J) at the fixture, warranted L90 and B10 life, spectrum, and third-party photometric files. Two fixtures with the same wattage can differ by 30–40% on delivered PAR.
LED horticultural fixtures
Full-spectrum or targeted-spectrum top and inter-lighting fixtures, 3.0–4.0 µmol/J photon efficacy, 35,000–50,000 h life.
Advantages
- 2× the light per kWh compared to HPS at 2025 efficacy levels
- Very low radiant heat — better for hot climates and inter-lighting
- Dimmable and spectrum-tunable for crop-recipe control
Limitations
- 2–3× the CAPEX per fixture vs HPS
- Requires cooler crops or added heating in cold climates
- Driver/electronics replacement over the fixture lifetime
- CAPEX:
- €35–70/m² for 200 µmol/m²/s top lighting
- OPEX:
- ≈ 50% of HPS electricity for the same DLI
- Best for:
- Warm climates, high electricity price, inter-lighting, cannabis, tomato high-wire
HPS (high-pressure sodium)
Mature 600–1,000 W double-ended HPS with 1.6–2.1 µmol/J efficacy, 10,000–20,000 h life.
Advantages
- Lowest CAPEX per installed µmol
- Radiant heat contributes to greenhouse heating in cold climates
- Simple electrical infrastructure — well understood by installers
Limitations
- Roughly 2× the electricity cost per DLI vs modern LED
- Bulb replacement every 1–2 crop cycles
- Heat load is a liability in warm climates and inter-lighting
- CAPEX:
- €15–30/m² for 200 µmol/m²/s top lighting
- OPEX:
- Higher electricity, higher lamp replacement
- Best for:
- Cold climates with cheap electricity, short-term projects, existing HPS retrofits
Our verdict
For new commercial projects in 2025 and beyond, LED wins on 10-year TCO for almost every crop and climate. HPS still makes sense as a bridge in cold climates where its heat contribution offsets a real heating bill and where CAPEX is heavily constrained.
Independent guidance from a human-led sourcing platform — we do not resell equipment. Ranges are indicative and shift with project size, geography and financing structure.
FAQ
- How do I compare LED vendors fairly?
- Ask every vendor for photon efficacy (µmol/J) at the fixture, warranted L90 and B10 life, spectrum, and third-party photometric files. Two fixtures with the same wattage can differ by 30–40% on delivered PAR.
- What DLI target should I plan for?
- Tomato and cannabis typically target 20–30 mol/m²/day, cucumber 15–25, leafy greens 12–17. Supplemental lighting is sized to close the gap between natural DLI at your site and the crop target — over the darkest months, not the annual average.
- Does LED reduce my heating load?
- Yes. Replacing HPS with LED at the same PAR cuts fixture heat output significantly. In cold climates this can add €5–15/m²/yr to heating cost — which is why we compare TCO, not just electricity.
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Move led vs hps greenhouse lighting into a structured RFQ
Editorial · not a sales pitchThis guide is editorial reference material. When your shortlist stabilises, a supplier-neutral RFQ turns the criteria above into normalised, comparable offers from qualified manufacturers and EPCs.
The facts a complete, supplier-neutral request on this topic includes. Use it as a checklist before submitting.
- Covered area (m² or ha), bay/gutter layout preference and target gutter height
- Site location, altitude and design loads (wind, snow, seismic) if known
- Crop and production system (soil, substrate, hydroponic, nursery)
- Covering choice: polyethylene film, polycarbonate or glass — and expected lifetime
- Climate scope: ventilation, screens, heating, cooling/pad-fan, CO₂, controls
- Irrigation/fertigation scope and water source quality
- Target commissioning date, phasing and budget band (USD $250K+)
- Incoterms, destination port/site and who handles civil works and erection
- Site plan or coordinates with plot dimensions
- Soil/water analysis where available
- Any existing concept drawing, BOQ or previous supplier offer
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This section compares technologies, engineering approaches and cultivation strategies only. It never compares, ranks, endorses or recommends individual manufacturers, suppliers, brands or contractors. All investment references are indicative planning information; performance, yields, operating costs and regulatory requirements vary by climate, crop, management, project design and jurisdiction, and should be validated by qualified professionals.
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