China's LED plant lighting experienced a "difficult" start-up period

In recent years, LED lighting products that promote plant growth have attracted attention. These led bio-lighting products are known as plant factories. Giving a little sunshine is a ridiculous word between people. However, in the field of bio-illumination, whether it is plants, animals, or even micro-organisms, giving light can be brilliant. In recent years, LED lighting products that promote plant growth have attracted attention. These led bio-lighting products are known as plant factories. According to industry analysts, in 2013, the global plant factory led lamps output value of up to 1.2 billion US dollars, an increase of 27% compared with 2012. Moreover, led bio-lighting is also playing a role in livestock and poultry and aquaculture, plant tissue culture, edible fungus cultivation, lure fishing lights and trap light applications. Liu Wenke, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, believes that for modern agriculture, the demand for artificial light illumination is necessary and urgent. Wang Junxi, deputy director of the Semiconductor Lighting R&D Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy secretary-general of the National Semiconductor Lighting Engineering R&D and Industry Alliance, emphasized that LED is a solid-state cold light source with high purity, high luminous efficiency, rich wavelength, light intensity and light quality. Convenient modulation, as well as energy saving, environmental protection, long life and other advantages, is the best source of light control for agricultural production. However, led bio-lighting is experiencing a difficult start in China. The pressureful start-up period compared with traditional plant lights, led plant lighting has obvious advantages of energy saving and efficiency. International LED manufacturers such as Philips, Mitsubishi Chemical, Seoul Semiconductor, Taiwan Everlight, Showa Denko, and Japan Pot Qing have invested in bio-lighting, which has led to a rapid growth in industrial development. Liu Wenke provided a data. From the perspective of the global market, preliminary statistics show that the led bio-lighting market has reached 10 million US dollars in 2013. It is expected to exceed US$35 million in 2014 and reach US$300 million in 2017. At present, led bio-lighting applications are concentrated in countries and regions where agricultural land resources are scarce or engaged in less agricultural personnel. Japan, South Korea, the United States, Europe and other places are the main sales markets for led bio-lighting. In China, facilities such as horticulture, recirculating aquaculture, offshore fishing, plant protection, urban agriculture, and family agriculture all have urgent needs for LED semiconductor lighting, showing a momentum of comprehensive development. The application prospect of modern agricultural lighting is very broad. It is estimated that its industrial scale is over 100 billion yuan, and it is expected that there will be greater development in the next 5 to 10 years. Liu Wenke has high hopes for led bio-lighting. However, CCID Consulting analyst Yan Shuai pointed out that from the perspective of industry scale, led bio-lighting applications are in their infancy. At present, there are not many manufacturers of LED plant lights in China, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, mainly distributed in Shenzhen, Dongguan and other places. The products are mainly exported, and most of them have not formed sales scale. Moreover, the price of led bio-lights is slightly higher than other light sources, and the application of led bio-lighting is relatively large in the early stage, and it cannot compete with other light sources. According to industry sources, the development of relevant technical standards during the initial period has not been followed up, and the user's usage habits have not been cultivated. The most important thing is that the LED bio-lighting technology is still immature and the production cost is too high. Zhang Hongbiao said. Technology and concept to be followed up by Song Changbin, senior engineer of the Semiconductor Lighting R&D Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Although the current agricultural lighting occupies the main component of led bio-lighting, the research of led light source in the agricultural field is still in its infancy and lacks systematic research. It is reported that led agricultural lighting system is mostly small and medium power, mainly used in the cultivation of seedlings in the horticultural group. High-power light sources require modules such as heat dissipation, and the comprehensive cost is high. In addition, according to Zhang Hongbiao, as international giant chip manufacturers are superior to domestic manufacturers in terms of luminous efficiency and reliability, China's LED bio-illumination product chips still rely mainly on imports. Song Changbin analyzed that the domestic semiconductor chip epitaxial wafer industry started late, accumulated less experience, and subject to patent issues. A large number of core patents are in the hands of early leading companies such as Japan's Nichia and American Corey. The domestic patented strength of LED companies in the field of chip extension is relatively weak, and it has become the bottleneck for the development of the domestic LED epitaxial chip industry. Corresponding to the immature technology, the current domestic manufacturers of plant growth lighting fixtures are small in scale and small in number, and most of them are scattered in the manufacture of functional lighting manufacturers. Therefore, the main peak of 660 nm red chip required for agriculture is not formed. Scale, domestic chip epitaxial wafer manufacturers are reluctant to invest in manpower and material resources to develop agricultural red light chips. Xu Zhigang, a professor at the Agricultural College of Nanjing Agricultural University, further pointed out that the development of led bio-lighting industry has always had problems with heavy led and light organisms. All along, the LED industry, materials and electric light source research and agricultural engineering circles are the main force in the development and promotion of led bio-lighting. In practice, LED is the main body, and there is a lack of deep understanding of plants and their cultivation principles. Take into account the overall needs of the principles of plant cultivation (or animal farming). For example, plant growth requires comprehensive coordination of light, temperature, water, fertilizer, and gas. It is far from enough to consider light alone; there is no systematic study of the effects of light on animal physiology, ecology, and behavior. As one of the environmental factors, artificial light provides the necessary fertility conditions for living things, but it is not sufficient. It should be based on biology, with light as the main line, with the goal of stable production, high quality and high efficiency of biological production, and coupling other environmental factors. Create environmental conditions suitable for healthy growth of the organism. If you want to apply LED to the biological field, you should change your mindset and practices now. Xu Zhigang said. How to promote industrial development Although cost, technology, and ideas are in the forefront, the microscopic mechanism of plant photobiology is still unclear, causing doubts about the potential and reliability of LED bio-lighting applications, which has slowed down the application. Therefore, led photobiology is the top priority in the development of led bio-lighting, and the state and industry must pay attention to it. Song Changbin said. In addition to strengthening technology research and development, Zhang Hongbiao and others proposed that the policy should strengthen the guidance and promotion of led bio-lighting, and accelerate the preparation, release and implementation of led bio-lighting standards. The combination of production, study and research to promote the development of the led bio-lighting industry is also one of the consensus of experts. Wang Junxi proposed that the development of agricultural semiconductor lighting research and development and industrialization must have a nationwide exchange platform to strengthen the docking between research institutes, universities and lighting enterprises, and promote the transfer of agricultural lighting technology and the upgrading and application of product equipment. And gradually establish an agricultural lighting product evaluation and measurement standard system to improve the scientific and technological contribution rate of agricultural lighting to modern agricultural development. Yan Shuai believes that the development of led bio-lighting industrialization requires LED leading enterprises to increase investment in R&D and demonstration applications in this field, and actively cooperate with manufacturers with core independent intellectual property rights in the field of plant lighting to promote LED bio-lighting. Yan Shuai introduced the way that a large LED company took in the field of bio-lighting to provide reference. Through close cooperation with partners, the company has gradually developed lighting solutions that meet customer needs. In the process, it encourages partners to work together to provide a total solution, tailored to the needs of the crop and the growing environment, and developed and explored with growers and their suppliers. At the same time, they will track the progress of the project and give timely advice on the design of the lighting solution, the installation consultant of the project and the support in the application to ensure the feasibility and integrity of the lighting solution.