Fluence Returns to MJBizCon, Releases Ninth Annual Cannabis Business Times “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” Report

November 21, 2024 at 09:00 AM EST

Industry leader in cannabis lighting to showcase latest top light, multi-tier and supplemental lighting solutions at 2024 MJBizCon

Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis production, released the ninth annual “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report in collaboration with Cannabis Business Times, a publication focused on accelerating the success and acceptance of the cannabis market by providing actionable intelligence to help all aspects of the business.

Headlining this year’s report is more evidence of the rapid and consistent adoption of LED technology among cannabis growers. Survey respondents also noted increased interest in augmenting their top light solutions with side, intercanopy or sub-canopy lighting.

“LED adoption is on the precipice of becoming the universal standard for critical phases of cannabis cultivation, delivering greater yields than HPS with less heat and energy consumption—without sacrificing crop quality,” said Dr. David Hawley, principal scientist for Fluence. “For growers, those benefits have catalyzed an interest in adding even more energy within the canopy via intercanopy and sub- or under-canopy lighting, which Fluence research has shown could produce greater yields and higher-quality buds in the lower canopy when deployed additively to top lighting.”

Major findings from the report include:

Seventy-eight percent of survey participants reported using LEDs for the vegetative phase, while 77% reported using LEDs for flowering—up 61 and 62 percentage points, respectively, from the report’s inaugural publishing in 2016.
Sixty-five percent of commercial growers considering adding lighting in the next 12 months want to explore ways to augment top lighting, such as side, intercanopy or sub-canopy fixtures. Growers’ interest in intercanopy lighting grew 10 percentage points from 2023.
Forty-two percent of participants ranked “crop quality” as the most important consideration for LED adoption.
Twenty-three percent of growers surveyed said 40% to 50% red was the most important spectral property for the flowering phase.

The report precedes MJBizCon’s 2024 event, where Fluence will showcase the latest products in its VYPR, RAPTR, SPYDR and VYNE series. The company will also host public fireside chats at its booth with leading cannabis researchers and growers, including Travis Higginbotham, founder and CEO of Due Diligence Horticulture, and Dave Holmes, founder and CEO of Clade⁹.

“Cannabis growers are natural innovators. They move quickly to adopt new technology and customize applications in their facilities. They confer with each other, seeking to learn from the brightest minds in the industry in the pursuit of advancing cultivation,” said Steve Graves, Fluence’s senior vice president of strategy and business development, in his opening letter for the “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report.

“We look forward to fostering new connections at MJBizCon while showcasing how our lighting technology will help growers boost plant quality and exceed their business goals,” Graves added.

Dr. Hawley will also explore the rising interest in intercanopy lighting during his MJBizCon session—“Maximizing Cannabis Yield with Intercanopy Lighting: Strategies and Best Practices”—which will take place at 10:50 a.m. PST on Dec. 5 in Room 1. Find Fluence on the Expo Floor at booth No. 43023.

For more information about this year’s “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report, visit the Fluence website or secure a copy at Fluence’s MJBizCon booth.

About Fluence

Fluence Bioengineering, Inc. (Fluence) creates powerful and energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial crop production and research applications. Fluence is a leading LED lighting supplier in the global cannabis market, committed to enabling more efficient crop production for the world’s top greenhouse and indoor growers. Fluence global headquarters are in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Fluence operates within Signify’s Agricultural Lighting business unit. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence-led.com.

Methodology

Independent research firm Readex Research conducted the study and compiled the data for the 2024 “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report. During August 2024, a research questionnaire was sent to all emailable, active subscribers to Cannabis Business Times located in the United States or Canada. To present data most pertinent to commercial cannabis cultivators, this research focuses on the 189 research participants who currently own or work for an operation that grows cannabis in an indoor facility and/or greenhouse. Data was then refined to exclude non-commercial operations. Unless otherwise indicated, the results found within this report represent participants who cultivate cannabis commercially indoors and/or in greenhouses, with or without supplemental lighting. The margin of error for percentages based on the 189 participants who reported they currently own or work for an operation that grows cannabis in an indoor facility and/or greenhouse is ±7.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.