Case study Knud Jepsen A/ Queen

Location Hinnerup, Denmark Philips Lighting Philips GreenPower LED production module “Not only can we use the LED light to control the growth while plants are being moved around, we have also achieved more flexibility in production” Frands Jepsen, Knud Jepsen A/S (Queen)

Background The low height under the tables made it impossible to Founded in 1963, Queen is a leading breeder and use HID lighting or TL lighting due to the fact that they producer of kalanchoes. Each year the company produces produce too much heat. Another challenge was that the some 25 million kalanchoes and 50 million kalanchoe Danish government is likely to demand energy-efficient cuttings over an area of 120,000 m2 using a highly solutions, and Queen wants to be prepared for this. automated process. With a firm focus on innovation, Queen is constantly seeking to improve and modernize The solution its production facilities. LEDs are eminently suitable for multilayer production, as they do not produce excess heat. In the transport lanes The challenge Queen installed Philips GreenPower LED production Keen to make their existing greenhouses more efficient modules on the existing construction for the mobile rather than build new ones, Queen wanted to explore tables to illuminate the second cultivation layer, the the feasibility of multilayer production by testing different ‘transport layer’. The lighting is used when the table LED light treatments at different points in the production with plants passes through, over a period of two days. process, .. in the transport lanes connecting the various The modules in question emit red light at a level parts of the nursery. There are several transport of 15-70 ųmol, with an average of 35 ųmol. lanes – one right after the cuttings are put in the pots, one just after the pots are spaced, and one in the Benefits middle of the ‘short day period’ which is characteristic Thanks to the LED lighting in the transport lanes the of kalanchoe production. The dark conditions made the plants are less stretched, more compact, when they transport lanes problematic in terms of growing. come out of the lanes. This is because they are able Thanks to LED we have actually turned a problem phase of production into an advantage

Facts

Grower Knud Jepsen A/S (Queen), Frands Jepsen, Kai Lonne Nielsen Crop Kalanchoe Location Hinnerup, Denmark Solution Philips GreenPower LED production module

to maintain their photosynthesis activity under the quickly as possible out of the transport lanes.’ Queen (relatively low level of) light. The benefit of this is that is currently investigating next steps to find out how they require 1-1.5 times less growth regulator, which low they can go on a micromole level and still produce is normally used to control the length of the plant, good quality. slowing down growth. Reducing the use of growth regulators means that the plant can continue to grow and is not limited in growth for a period of time. The time spent in the LED-lit transport layer shortens the “With LED lighting in multilayer systems overall production period by one to four days, as well we could utilize the transport lanes as improving quality and, later on, growth efficiency. for production purposes without Continuing plant growth in the transport layer has led to an enormous increase in Queen’s production and increasing the cost of heating in buffer capacity, thereby enabling them to respond the nursery” more effectively to peaks in the market and to supply Kai Lonne Nielsen, Queen products precisely when the clients want them. ‘Thanks to LED we have actually turned a problem phase of production into an advantage,’ says Frands Jepsen. ‘Not only can we use the LED light to control With the goal of saving energy while still maintaining the growth while plants are being moved around, we the right amount of light, they intent to further reduce have also achieved more flexibility in production energy consumption by using existing greenhouses more since the plants no longer have to be moved as efficiently in the future. © 2012 Koninklijke Philips Electronics .. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. The information presented in this document does not form part of any quotation or contract, is believed to be accurate and reliable and may be changed without notice. No liability will be accepted by the publisher for any consequence of its use. Publication there of does not convey nor imply any license under patent- or other industrial or intellectual property rights.

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