Sun tubes supplemented with LEDs save up to 80% in Energy Usage

New technology could revolutionize indoor farming by using sun tubes to bring natural sunlight into cultivation facilities.

Indoor farming has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its ability to provide fresh produce year-round in controlled environments. However, one of the biggest challenges facing indoor farmers is the lack of natural sunlight, which is essential for plant growth and development. While artificial lighting can mimic the effects of natural sunlight, it is expensive and energy-intensive, making it difficult to scale indoor farming operations.

Now, researchers in Sonoma, California have developed a new technology that uses sun tubes to bring natural sunlight into indoor cultivation facilities. Sun tubes, also known as light tubes or solar tubes, are cylindrical tubes that capture natural light from the roof of a building and direct it into interior spaces. The tubes are lined with highly reflective material to maximize the amount of light that is transmitted, and can be used to supplement or replace artificial lighting.

The research team, led by Dr. Josh Earlenbaugh, tested the sun tube technology in a commercial-scale indoor cannabis cultivation facility in California. They found that the sun tubes were able to deliver up to 80% of the natural light that would be available outside, reducing the need for artificial lighting and lowering energy costs.

In addition to reducing energy costs, the sun tube technology could also improve crop quality and yield. Natural sunlight has been shown to have a positive effect on plant growth, development, and nutritional content, and the sun tubes could provide plants with a more natural light spectrum than artificial lighting.

The sun tube technology could have significant implications for the indoor farming industry, which is projected to grow to a market value of $41 billion by 2026. By reducing the reliance on artificial lighting, indoor farmers could lower their operating costs and increase their profitability, while also providing consumers with fresher, healthier produce.

Overall, the use of sun tubes to bring natural sunlight into indoor cultivation facilities represents an exciting new development in the field of indoor farming, and has the potential to transform the way we grow crops indoors.