Lethbridge College will receive more than $350,000 for the project, the first in the college's new on-campus greenhouse. April 25, 2023 (Photo: Lethbridge College)

By Christian Oldale

Lethbridge College receives funding for greenhouse lighting research project

Apr 25, 2023 | 1:21 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge College has received a grant to fund a new greenhouse lighting project.

The college will receive $353,598 for the project, which will be the first major project in the college’s new 10,000 square foot on-campus greenhouse, the Centre for Sustainable Food Production.

The grant is for a three-year study, which will begin in the fall.

The college’s project is one of 39 research projects across Canada selected to receive a share of $11.49 million in funding through the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC). The AFC represents 18 agricultural organizations that raise funds to support sustainability, diversification and growth for the agri-food industry in Western Canada.

The project will analyze the performance of conventional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights, horticultural LEDs, and common industrial lights.

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Dr. Nick Savidov, senior research scientist, says the college’s newly built greenhouse facility is unique among other research greenhouses in the country as it mimics the conditions of a typical commercial facility.

Savidov added, “The project will be holistic in its approach, by measuring not just crop productivity and financial benefit, but also power consumption, setup and maintenance costs for different lighting options. This will provide industry with a full return on investment analysis that is appropriate to Canadian conditions.”

The project will work with a new technology that will allow the growers to detect even minor plant stress at earlier stages before they lose yield, playing a more proactive role in eliminating plant stress.

The Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) at Lethbridge College recently ranked 16th in the annual Research Infosource ranking of Canada’s top 50 research colleges.

Read more: Lethbridge News Now