PhytoSynthetix — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: 8.13

Description

Candidus is a horticultural lighting technology company that develops lighting strategies strategiesfor commercial greenhouses, combining plant physiology and bioengineering to provide growers with unprecedented control over crop production. Our "biofeedback control of LED lights" developed during Phase I is a method to determine how efficiently crops can use light to photosynthesize and grow. It has proven to determine crop-specific lighting requirements and to reduce energy consumption of 30% compared to non-controlled lights. Energy consumption by lighting systems in greenhouses can be as high as $230,000/ha/year and represent up to 30% of the value of the crops produced. The high cost associated with supplemental lighting poses a challenge for greenhouse growers trying to make a profit, while maintaining high yields and quality year-round. During Phase II we will develop and implement anAdaptive Lighting Control technology to bring the benefits of the biofeedback control of LED lights to the greenhouse industry. This is a high precision lighting control system capable to maintain lighting conditions required to sustain crop-specific optimum photosynthetic rates by augmenting natural sun light at reduced energy consumption. Our objective is to develop a technology platform for cloud-based lighting control systems which will continuously provide greenhouse growers integrated lighting solutions. Our goal is to provide greenhouse growers an economically beneficial supplemental lighting technology to increase their operation's profitability with a ROI in less than two years. Our technology is in line with USDA priorities "improved crop production methods" and "energy conservation"