ELEMENT LED Grow Light, Rothamsted

Rothamsted Research is a world-leading non-profit research centre dedicated to strategic agricultural science for the benefit of farmers and society worldwide. Founded in 1843, it is one of the oldest agricultural research institutes in the world, with active research across the major UK crops, from wheat, barley and oilseed rape to tomatoes, salad crops, willow and poplar, as well as more specialist subjects like jojoba. The team’s mission is to develop better strategies for growing plants, raising productivity and improving resistance to disease and pests. Rothamsted Research has built a long history of innovation through collaboration, partnering with research institutions and universities in more than 50 countries. The team approached INDO to replace its 400W SON-T High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting in the glasshouse facilities. The brief was clear: cut energy and maintenance costs substantially, hold consistent light output, and grow better-quality plants. After reviewing a range of grow-light manufacturers, Rothamsted chose the INDO ELEMENT for the lifetime and reliability benefits of Direct Drive®, backed by a 10-year warranty, alongside its small form factor and light-spectrum quality. INDO’s track record in street lighting gave the team further confidence in the technology. The fact that INDO grow lights have no electrical wear-out components, other than the LEDs themselves, was decisive: Rothamsted had already experienced LED units failing elsewhere in the facility because of driver issues. The compact, lightweight ELEMENT fittings cast minimal shadow, so Rothamsted gets the benefit of artificial light in the glasshouse without obscuring natural daylight. On cloudy days, supplementary lighting maintains consistent intensity across the crop, so plants keep growing and continue to develop the biological systems the team is studying. Our broad-spectrum option, close to natural sunlight, suits the wide range of plants Rothamsted grows. The team wanted a controlled environment that closely replicates the field, and the ELEMENT delivers exactly that. Our contracting partners at PPG carried out the installation over a two-week period. They sequenced the work across multiple project teams in separate areas, both to maintain social distancing and to keep timescales tight. With the glasshouse a live research facility, advanced planning and close communication with Rothamsted were essential so that ongoing operations were not disrupted. PPG described the ELEMENT as “very easy to work with.” With the installation complete, INDO continues to support Rothamsted’s research, helping the lighting configuration evolve as their programmes and crops change.