Blog – Hort Americas

Wisconsin’s Alliant Energy Focus On Energy Grower Win

Exciting news for growers! Hort Americas’ L2000 2 bar light fixture not only supports and improves your harvest but also qualifies for the Alliant Energy (Wisconsin) electric utility’s Focus on Energy rebate program. Our clients response was “Awesome” and led them on their way to secure the maximum $120 prescriptive program rebate per fixture. This resulted in a triple win by (1) having a satisfied customer, (2) reduced project investment, and (3) improved overall return on investment (ROI).

2024 Utility Program Mid-Year Q3 & Q4 Forecast

The horticulture industry, particularly in indoor agriculture and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), continues to experience rapid growth. With an increasing global population and the demand for secure and reliable food sources, projections show that the North American CEA industry will reach $8 billion annually by 2026.

Optimizing the production of cannabinoids in medical cannabis using LED grow lights

An increasing number of controlled environment cannabis growers are transitioning to LED grow lights, which provide increased energy efficiency and efficacy, reduced heat emission, a longer lifespan and spectrum customization, compared to conventional lights, including fluorescent and high-pressure sodium. Photo courtesy of Wheatfield Gardens

Cultivate’24: Hort Americas to Showcase Innovative LED Lighting and Several New Horticulture Products

The new Arize Element® L2000 from Acuity Brands is among many horticulture items that Hort Americas will have available at Cultivate’24 on July 13-16.

Among the most efficient grow lights in its class, the L2000 offers up to 3600 µmol/s and can reduce fixture count by up to 40% when installed as an HPS replacement.

Electric utility rebates and incentive programs for Canada’s greenhouse growers and vertical farmers

Electric utility rebates and incentive programs don’t stop at the border. Many of Canada’s 151 electric utilities operating across 10 provinces and 3 territories offer varying degrees of award dollars, supporting greenhouse growers and vertical farmers advancing energy-efficiency construction projects.

Hort Americas Partners with Meteor Systems to Exclusively Distribute HDPE Floating Rafts in North America

DALLAS—June 4, 2024—In a move to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of horticultural practices, Hort Americas announced today an exclusive partnership with Meteor Systems to distribute their HDPE floating rafts in North America.

How Michigan Growers Can Benefit from Electric Utility Rebates and Incentives

In Michigan, growers can access various incentive awards from electric utilities when they undertake energy-efficient construction projects (new construction or renovation) at their farms or greenhouses. These incentive programs encourage the adoption of energy-efficient practices and technologies. This can lead to significant energy savings and reduced environmental impact.

Ferme Gadbois Turns to Technology to Begin Year-Round Strawberry Growing

Ferme Gadbois, established in the 1850s in Saint-Barnabé-Sud, Quebec, carries a long-standing tradition of agriculture, nurtured through six generations. The farm is an integral part of the community.

Hort Americas Partners with Utility Rebate Expert Lee Levitt to Enhance Savings and Promote Energy Efficiency for Growers

DALLAS—March 5, 2024— Commercial horticultural supplier Hort Americas announced today an exclusive partnership with utility rebate specialist Lee Levitt, Energy Advisors 360.

LED Retrofit Guide for Greenhouses

Free Download: Mastering the Move from HPS to LED Lighting

Once a cost-prohibitive alternative, LED lighting is now the preferred lighting source among commercial growers.

The technology offers numerous benefits that continue to fuel its rapid adoption over traditional high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights.

Can intracanopy/intercanopy LED grow lights be used to increase greenhouse vegetable crop yields?

A U.S. greenhouse grower in the Midwest was able to increase its yields of ‘Macxize’ tomatoes-on-the-vine crops by 17 percent by combining intracanopy LED lighting with high pressure sodium top lighting. Photos courtesy of Hort Americas

By David Kuack

Acuity Brands Reaches Agreements with Current Lighting Solutions, Hort Americas to Expand Acuity’s Horticulture Lighting Offering

Agreements include acquiring horticulture lighting products from Current to be exclusively distributed by Hort Americas, a leading supplier to the controlled environment agriculture market.

How vine crop growers can reduce waste and labor cost and prevent virus transmission

Hort Americas and Agrifast see the Tomsystem as a simple but elegant piece of agtech that addresses two major issues vine crop greenhouse growers are facing today: labor and sustainability. The Tomsystem replaces traditional crop-supporting methods. Besides the sustainability benefits, the process also lowers the labor cost per hectare, providing the grower a significant net economic gain.

Free Download: The Guide to Growing Microgreens

Microgreens can be a great option when selecting a product to start a business with, or to expand your current market. Why? Microgreens are relatively easy to grow in comparison to other crops, and cycles are very short. Therefore, you can quickly learn and improve your production technique, correct mistakes and become a good producer.

NC State’s Collado and Hernandez Research Cannabis Water Use Under Supplemental Light

North Carolina State University researchers Professor Ricardo Hernandez and Cristian Collado worked with Current’s Arize® Element L1000 LED top lighting in a greenhouse setting to explore the impact of light levels on the production of cuttings, plant growth, flower production, quality, and water use of a cannabis sativa variety commonly cultivated for its high levels of CBD. The impact of different levels of light throughout the vegetative and reproductive phases of growth was isolated by controlling all other environmental factors, such as temperature, fertigation, CO₂, and water usage.

Key Factors to Consider When Investing in CEA

As a new business owner, an agripreneur or a potential investor entering a new industry, you’re likely feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Category: Blog