It is crucial to involve LED Grow Lights Rebate Solutions early in your project. The final cost basis of your lights interacts with the structure of rebate programs in ways that are not obvious to the uninitiated. Consider, for example, under-canopy LED grow lights or overhead fixtures that are sometimes available in multiple footprints. Even before rebates are involved, there are many considerations for the grower.
Economics of Larger LED Grow Lights
Generally, a light with a larger footprint can be cheaper on a purchase-price basis. More light packed onto a single ballast means you’re paying for less electronics per unit area; you may be able to cover the same area for less purchase cost by choosing bigger lights.
Ergonomics and Operational Efficiency
Depending on your setup, under-canopy grow lights need to be moved out of the way each harvest for cleaning. An eight-foot light is a little bit more than half as much work as moving two four-foot lights. The more tedious the job is, the more likely a crew-member is to start wrestling the lights, potentially leading to damage and yield loss or downtime.
If you have to take out your under-canopy every cycle, then each individual connection between lights needs to be properly clicked-in every cycle to prevent water from getting in. I hope the lights you buy have locking waterproof connectors! Eight-foot lights provide half as many of these points of failure for the same coverage, and half as many chances for you or your crew to miss a click.
Insights from Commercial Growers
We talk to operators of large commercial cultivation sites a lot, and over the timeline of an entire rebate process they have the opportunity to tell us a lot about their operations and challenges. Picking the right light is a big deal, and if you’re reading this, I congratulate you on taking your work seriously.
Regional Differences in Grow Lights Rebates
The most economical LED grow light to choose may be different depending on your geography and utility company. We’ll be happy to take a close look at your situation!
For example, consider a facility in CA vs one in MI. In CA, depending on your power company, there is likely to be a rebate program that pays out on a per-fixture basis. (Your payout may depend on your climate zone, please get in touch with us for details.) In this per-fixture case, you might be better served by opting for the smallest possible light to maximize the efficiency incentive you are eligible for. See PG&E Rebates & Incentives for details.
Contrast this with facilities in Consumers Energy’s service area in MI. The incentive there is calculated per watt installed. In that case, bigger LED grow lights may again be more economical. See Consumers Energy Business Rebates for current programs.
Field-Adjustable Wattage Benefits
If your chosen lighting manufacturer features field-adjustable wattage, you have remarkable flexibility to shape your facility’s electrical demand. These additional wattage modes could have implications for your incentive eligibility — it depends on the specific model and the program in question.
Program Metrics and Compliance
Under some programs, using the least wattage that gives acceptable coverage is the best move, which is what you might expect. Yet, this is not always the case!
Other programs calculate based on the PPFD, or (total) PPF, or PPE, based on a baseline from the rebate program implementer or statutorily defined values as found in California Title 24 Energy Code.
Under these programs you may actually qualify for more grow lights rebates by putting out as much efficient light as you can from the LEDs, at the highest wattage. This may be counter-intuitive. However, consider this: the increase in yield from making existing conditioned-square-footage more productive is generally less incremental load on the grid than building out additional space or another site. You may find this also increases your margins, depending on the crop.
Verification and Compliance Risks
Energy companies, in almost all cases, reserve the right to perform normalized metered energy consumption to see if you’re truly operating as you claimed! You may receive a prorated rebate or even be asked to return funds if your application was inaccurate, and this can become a lethal cashflow situation.
Conclusion: Plan for Success
In conclusion, it can be a bit complicated. We want you to succeed, so please contact us.