Fluence

AUSTIN, Texas--Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, announced today the results of its partnership with Oakland, California-based cannabis cultivator Flora & Flame, which has increased yields by 50%, improved bud quality and reduced cycle times with Fluence’s LED fixtures.

Flora & Flame is central to a new wave of cannabis cultivators—founded with a vision to build a more sustainable, eco-friendly business model. The company manages an all-organic, indoor vertical farm with a focus on growing cannabis that enhances quality of life and ensures consistency, clarity and purity for its customers.

After testing fixtures from more than half a dozen competitors, Flora & Flame selected Fluence’s SPYDR 2p and 2x fixtures, which has resulted in improved trichome quality and overall trichome percentage, increased bud density and boosted overall production by 50% compared to legacy high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures.

“As a business owner, you’re looking for partners that match your vision, which, for us, meant a provider that could help us grow with a focus on sustainability,” said Chris Castle, co-founder and chief operating officer at Flora & Flame. “After a rigorous evaluation process, it became clear that Fluence not only shares that vision but exceeds the standards for product quality, efficiency and cultivation expertise that we sought. The plant quality we’ve experienced since working with Fluence is unmatched—better yields, better look and smell, and just a better overall product.”

Castle’s goal to implement ecologically friendly cultivation practices began well before Flora & Flame’s commercial launch. The company spent years testing and perfecting its innovative “living soil,” an alternative planting material that relies on biological ingredients like bacteria, protozoa and worms to generate biodiversity within the soil, helping plants thrive and leading to a naturally produced, chemical-free product.

Since day one of their partnership, Fluence has supported Flora & Flame’s vision, leveraging Fluence’s impressive network to connect the cultivator with reliable industry partners. In service of the companies’ shared commitment to sustainability, installing Fluence’s LEDs has helped the Flora & Flame team use less electricity and conserve power. Fluence’s award-winning rebate program, which has saved growers more than $26 million, also helped Flora & Flame collect nearly $100,000 in utility rebates.

“Growers like Flora & Flame trusting us with their groundbreaking ideas for the future of cultivation is a testament to the years we’ve dedicated to improving and refining our fixtures as well as our deep base of scientific knowledge,” said Steve Graves, senior vice president of strategy and product at Fluence. “We will continue to work with cutting-edge growers to help the world grow smarter—and more sustainably.”

For more information on Fluence, visit www.fluence-led.com.

We're proud to announce we've partnered with the innovative teams Grodan and Wageningen Plant Research to develop a new concept for growing year-round premium strawberries. Grodan and Fluence join forces to develop new concept for year-round, high-tech strawberry cultivation with a demonstration trial at Wageningen University & Research in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The research trial will evaluate strawberry quality, yield and overall development under Fluence LEDs by leveraging GroSens technology from Grodan for data-driven insights that will redefine the way strawberries are irrigated.

Bleiswijk, the Netherlands, 10 October 2023— Grodan and Fluence, two leading horticultural solution providers, have partnered for an innovative trial aimed at revolutionizing year-round high-tech strawberry cultivation using stone wool growing media and cutting-edge LED technology. In this demonstration trial, the strawberries’ growth, yield and quality will be evaluated. Both companies will work to redefine the best practices in the cultivation of high-tech everbearing strawberries.

Optimizing high-tech strawberry cultivation will have significant implications for both growers and consumers. Grodan, renowned for its growing media solutions, and Fluence, known as an innovator in LED horticultural lighting, have combined their expertise to explore the transformative possibilities for indoor strawberry cultivation. The opportunities for indoor year-round cultivation are significant, and both companies are looking to bring the benefits of year-round, fresh, high-quality strawberries to the growers and consumers.

“We are excited to partner with Fluence in this ground-breaking initiative. By leveraging our combined strengths in horticulture, we aim to uncover new methods that empower growers to grow high-quality strawberries more efficiently and sustainably” said Thomas Peters, Business Development manager at Grodan. “We are working on optimizing our irrigation management advice and creating structured user advice that will help growers to have a stable and continuous high-quality production.”

The trial started in August, and the researchers from Wageningen University & Research will focus on the effect of EC management on the growth, yield and quality of the everbearer cultivar Favori. The partnership seeks to provide data-driven insights using the GroSens sensors of Grodan that will redefine the way strawberries are irrigated. The plants used in this trial are fresh tips, propagated in stone wool growing media at EC 2, 3 and 4 mS/cm indoors on an ebb flood system with targeted irrigation. The grow-out trial will determine the effect of young plant quality on final yield.

“Working on a new and disruptive way of growing everbearing strawberries under LED lighting in collaboration with the leading substrate supplier in horticulture is a great opportunity for us,” said Leo Lansbergen, a member of the Fluence Horticulture Service Team in EMEA. “Using LED lighting is a perfect energy-saving solution for year-round crops and fits very well with a greenhouse strawberry crop in stone wool. Fluence has gathered years of knowledge and experience on strawberry research and we are excited to leverage those learnings in this trial.”

During the grow-out trial, various agronomic treatments will be investigated, including lighting, irrigation and climate management strategies. The results will give insights for the optimum cultivation conditions and yield. A number of events are planned to take place during 2023 and 2024 with the aim of transferring this knowledge towards growers and stakeholders in the industry.

Fluence and Grodan will post ongoing updates on this groundbreaking trial on their respective social media channels and corporate websites.

About Grodan
Grodan is the global leader in supplying innovative, sustainable stone wool growing media solutions for the professional horticulture industry, based on Precision Growing principles. These solutions are applied to the cultivation of vegetables and flowers, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, egg plants, roses and gerberas. Sustainability plays a prominent role within Grodan, from the manufacture of stone wool substrates to recycling solutions. Grodan was founded in 1969 and is active in more than seventy countries worldwide. The head office is located in Roermond, the Netherlands. For more information, please visit www.grodan.com.

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 and is committed to enabling more efficient crop production with the world’s top vertical farms and greenhouse produce growers. Fluence global headquarters are based in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions Division. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence-led.com.

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AUSTIN, Texas & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (Sept. 7, 2023)—Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, announced today the success of its partnership with Green Fields, an Israeli grower operating the largest cannabis facility in Israel. With Fluence technology, Green Fields has boosted yields, improved THC and terpene content and achieved consistent year-round crop growth inside its more than 42,000-square-meter facility.

Green Fields worked with REMY, Fluence’s Israeli distribution and integration partner, to select VYPR 3p fixtures with BROAD R3 spectrum technology to provide a spectrum that is designed to supplement and replicate natural sunlight in its facility. Coupled with the facility’s F-CLEAN™ technology, a fluoropolymer sheet that transmits the full spectrum of natural sunlight during the day, the VYPR 3p allows Green Fields to maximize lighting conditions to help drive peak growth regardless of season.

“I think every cannabis cultivator must have the golden triangle, which is the best cultivation facility, the best genetics and the right people and partners,” said Lior Pisso Saada, founder and business development advocate at Green Fields. “Consistency is the name of the game and one of the greatest things we have achieved by using Fluence LED technology. We can now grow as consistently in the winter as we do in the summertime.”

Each zone of Green Fields’ flagship greenhouse is equipped with a special air treatment unit that stabilizes humidity, temperature and airflow to reduce microclimates and improve uniformity. The cultivation team uses innovative monitoring technology to control other critical aspects of the grow, including root zone management and irrigation. Green Fields also leverages REMY’s expertise and Fluence’s team of in-house horticultural lighting experts who support the agronomic team in adjusting and optimizing light levels, photoacclimation, pest control, irrigation strategies and mother stock treatment.

“To operate cultivation at this scale, we need three things: a high level of control, data and a strong team,” said Yarden Roitemberg, chief agronomist at Green Fields. “Fluence and REMY offer more than just LED technology—they are true partners who provide comprehensive horticulture services and advisory.”

The Green Fields facility houses the biggest agronomic lighting system ever installed in Israel. Since the deployment of Fluence lights, Green Fields has cultivated between 15 and 18 tons of cannabis per year.

“For Green Fields to trust REMY as a best-in-class overall solutions provider for what is now the largest cannabis facility in Israel is an honor,” said Elad Toby, founder, chief business development officer and chief technology officer at REMY. “We knew our expertise in planning, installation, integration and quality assurance of agronomic lighting solutions, paired with Fluence’s leading-edge technology and in-house horticulture services, was the best mix to equip Green Fields with the setup, data and knowledge to grow with confidence.”

“The determination of the Green Fields team to break down barriers and improve the quality of greenhouse medical cannabis production in Israel is extraordinary,” said Jörg Meyer-Brenken, lead account manager for cannabis in Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Fluence. “Whether you interact with management, the cultivation team or marketing, you can feel their passion everywhere. I am very excited to see Green Fields thrive and collaborate with the team to expand their businesses to other regions and new markets.”

For more information on Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

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 and is committed to enabling more efficient crop production with the world’s top vertical farms and greenhouse produce growers. Fluence global headquarters are in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions division. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, announced the launch of the newest generation of VYPR, a high-performance linear top light for greenhouse crops in its latest press release. The product was demonstrated at Fluence’s stand during GreenTech, the leading global meeting place for the horticulture industry.

Built upon patented thermal management technologies, the latest VYPR top lights feature market-leading efficacies and high light output per fixture. Thus, helping reduce the fixture count and system cost per lit area to accelerate the adoption of LED horticulture lighting. With more compact power supplies, beam widening reflectors and new mounting options, the latest VYPR empowers growers to achieve their growing targets all year round.

The VYPR 4 maintains the familiar VYPR-low-profile design, allowing for the least possible shading in greenhouse environments. With the new versatile dual-channel far red spectrums for varying light recipes, VYPR 4 puts the flexibility and management into the hands of the produce and floral grower. This next generation of the VYPR delivers greater control, higher wattages, and a higher return on investment than previous generations.

VYPR 4 is available in a variety of PhysioSpec™ spectra to help maximize efficiency, consistency and yield across a broad range of crops from tomatoes and strawberries to chrysanthemums and lilies. Options include the PhysioSpecTM DUAL spectra for maximum energy efficiency and minimal operating expense. These spectrums include Fluence’s R8, R8F, R9 and R9F. VYPR 4 puts the spectrum flexibility into the hands of the grower.

VYPR 4

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This year’s GreenTech, one of the world’s leading horticulture events, includes speaking sessions featuring Fluence experts and the launch of Fluence’s newest VYPR product. The newest generation of Fluence’s VYPR product line is built to deliver growers exactly what they’ve been asking for: greater versatility, enhanced light distribution and higher output to increase crop yield, uniformity and quality.

AUSTIN, Texas & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (June 7, 2023)—Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, announced today it will attend the 2023 GreenTech Amsterdam conference, which will include speaking sessions by Fluence industry experts Steve Graves, senior vice president of strategy and product, Theo Tekstra, technical director of EMEA, and Dr. David Hawley, principal scientist for Fluence. Fluence’s presence will also include an in-booth expert session with Dominique van Gruisen, managing director of Innexo BV.

The LED lighting leader also announced the launch of the newest generation of VYPR, a high-performance linear top light for greenhouse crops, which will be available for public viewing and demonstration at Fluence’s stand during GreenTech, the leading global meeting place for the horticulture industry. In addition to VYPR, attendees will also be able to interact with Fluence’s comprehensive product suite, including RAPTR, VYNE, SPYDR, RAZR and Wireless Flex Dimming fixtures.

“GreenTech Amsterdam provides the opportunity to meet with and speak alongside leaders advancing agriculture and technology from across the world,” said Timo Bongartz, general manager for EMEA at Fluence. “At Fluence, we are committed to helping the world grow smarter through innovative technology to drive better plant cultivation. It’s an honor to have Fluence prominently featured in speaking sessions at GreenTech, and we’re excited to introduce the newest VYPR LED technology to the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.”

Attendees can visit Fluence’s horticulture specialists from June 13 through June 15 at Stand 130 in Exhibit Hall 5 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Fluence’s speaking sessions at GreenTech Amsterdam 2023 will include:

• Lights and Buds (June 13, 10:45 a.m. CET), featuring Dr. David Hawley, principal scientist for Fluence at the Plants Compounds Stage
• Complexity in Lighting (June 13, 12:15 p.m. CET), featuring Theo Tekstra, technical director of EMEA for Fluence at the Technology Stage
• Panel: Medicinal Cannabis (June 13, 1 p.m. CET), featuring Timo Bongartz, general manager of EMEA for Fluence at the Plant Compounds Stage
• Manipulating Medicinally Relevant Cannabis Chemistry with Light Environment (June 13, 3:20 p.m. CET), featuring Dr. David Hawley, principal scientist for Fluence at the Amtrium
• Experiences in Setting Up Complex Medical Cannabis Research Projects, to Innovate and Optimize Production (June 14, 11:00 a.m. CET), expert session at Fluence’s Stand 05.130, featuring Dominique van Gruisen, managing director of Innexo BV
• Public Health – Food Security, including a panel discussion on Endgame for Low Nutritional Food, Breaching Containment CEA and Pharmaceutical Solutions (June 14, 12:15 p.m. CET), featuring Steve Graves, senior vice president of strategy and product for Fluence at the Vertical Farming Stage

The latest extension of the VYPR series delivers a new level of flexibility and control to growers through dual-channel far-red capability. Adding an independent control channel for far-red light empowers growers with the ability to manipulate crop morphology and increase energy savings, opening new applications for growers of flowers, strawberries and cucumbers. The latest VYPR product is now available as an 800W platform, making it a one-to-one replacement for 1000W HPS fixtures while offering higher light intensity and lower energy consumption.

“The newest generation of Fluence’s VYPR product line is built to deliver growers exactly what they’ve been asking for: greater versatility, enhanced light distribution and higher output to increase crop yield, uniformity and quality,” said Graves. “Advancements in our understanding of light spectra have led to a more sophisticated product and a new tool to drive optimal crop performance and profitability.”

The latest VYPR product is designed to improve uniformity with wider light distribution, featuring a 150-degree optic across R8, R8F, R9 and R9F light spectra. It maintains a slim form factor and low-profile design but now offers more flexible installation options that make mounting faster and help reduce installation costs.

For more information on Fluence, visit www.fluence.science or stop by Exhibit Hall 5, Stand 130 at GreenTech Amsterdam 2023.

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 and is committed to enabling more efficient crop production with the world’s top vertical farms and greenhouse produce growers. Fluence global headquarters are in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions division. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

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Fluence’s partnership with Israel-based Trichome proves the viability of growing high-quality medical cannabis product in an efficient, standardized vertical farming model.

AUSTIN, Texas & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (May 10, 2023)—Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, announced today its success in supporting Trichome, an Israeli facility growing world-class medicinal cannabis, to prove the concept of two-tiered vertical farming in an urban center.

To successfully launch an urban vertical growing facility in Qiryat Gat, Israel, Trichome needed to collaborate with the right solution partners to maximize space while optimizing quality and automation at every step of the process. To appropriately design for the compact, intricate indoor environment and complexities associated with tiered growing, Trichome turned to Fluence for its market-leading LED lighting solutions, local service capabilities through Fluence’s Israeli distribution partner, REMY, and in-house horticultural experts to assist with planning, installing and managing the deployment of integrated lighting technology.

“By partnering with Fluence, we were not reinventing the wheel but choosing the best wheels in the market,” said Tony Levi, co-founder and CEO of Trichome. “Standardization, longevity and optimization are critical factors in producing high-quality cannabis flowers. The team of experts at Fluence helped us accomplish all of those goals in an urban farm within city limits.”

Trichome installed Fluence lighting throughout its fully standardized medicinal cannabis facility. To overcome the obstacles presented by a reduction in space between crops and the artificial lights in vertical farms, Fluence worked closely with REMY, Levi and the Trichome team to understand the facility’s constraints. Ultimately, Fluence designed a bespoke system comprising its SPYDR 2i, SPYDR 2x and RAZR Modular series for Trichome. Trichome has completed 17 full crop growing cycles, all with greater than expected results using Fluence lighting—including above average yields, higher than expected terpene levels and high cannabinoid content.

“We are thrilled by the response of our plants to the Fluence LED lighting,” said Steve Abboud, head grower at Trichome. “Our cannabis crops are taking in the light from Fluence fixtures and expressing its quality through their flowering. We have been able to standardize light intensity, harness control over our cultivation methods and achieve crop uniformity because of Fluence LEDs.”

“Working with Trichome on lighting solutions has been an exciting and ambitious process where both parties learned a tremendous amount,” said Jörg Meyer-Brenken, lead account manager, cannabis EMEA at Fluence. “The product Trichome supplies is outstanding, but the feedback from the market and patients makes me even prouder. Trichome has been able to set a new bar for urban farming.”

Fluence LED lighting solutions are available for purchase by licensed cultivators in territories in which the cultivation of cannabis is legal.

For more information on Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

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 and is committed to enabling more efficient crop production with the world’s top vertical farms and greenhouse produce growers. Fluence global headquarters are in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions division. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

About REMY
Established in 2008, REMY 108 LTD specializes in the planning, installation, integration and quality assurance of large-scale agronomic lighting solutions, as well as after-sales service and support, for commercial crop and food cultivation in Israel and beyond. REMY has been providing its customers with agronomic lighting since 2011 and has been the company’s main focus since 2018. An authorized reseller of Fluence LED lighting solutions, today, it also provides agronomic lighting training at its headquarters in Yanuv. For more information about REMY, visit https://www.remy.co.il/en/grow.

About Trichome
Trichome is an Israeli aggrotech company that combines two complementary worlds—quality cannabis agriculture and advanced cannabis technologies. The company philosophy is based on three main pillars: Indoor Growth by Advanced Technology, an international team of cannabis experts and the finest, high-end varieties. Trichome owns the largest Indoor facility for medical cannabis cultivation in the Middle East. With nine flowering rooms, the multilayer facility is spread over 7,000 square meters and has an annual production capacity of six tons of high-quality, consistent standardized inflorescence. Trichome works through several channels including its own brand and white label. For more information, visit www.trichome-il.com.

AUSTIN, Texas & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (March 30, 2023)—Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, is helping global cannabis cultivators find operational stability by helping growers address cost efficiencies amid ongoing industry headwinds and energy market volatility.

Cannabis growers around the world are feeling the effects of higher operating costs due to supply chain challenges and rapidly fluctuating energy prices, making it more important than ever for cultivators to invest in and integrate reliable, cost-saving solutions. Fluence’s LED technology VYPR series offer growers increased control over energy expenditure and a greater ability to customize light spectrum based on what works best for specific crops.

Replacing legacy high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting systems with Fluence’s energy-efficient and environmentally friendly LED fixtures is one of the easiest ways to achieve cost savings and improve energy efficiency as well as reduce the impact on local power grids. Cannabis cultivators around the world, including many in North America, have also cut capital expenses by leveraging Fluence’s deep experience and guidance in helping partners receive energy efficiency rebates or subsidies in states with qualifying programs.

“Fluence’s LED lighting solutions are helping cannabis cultivators in North America and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa advance operational efficiency and profitability,” said Steve Graves, senior vice president of strategy and product at Fluence. “The VYPR product line enables growers to transition away from HPS lighting systems and save tens of thousands of dollars per year in energy consumption.”

Fluence’s horticultural and technical experts help partners to design, tailor and apply lighting solutions to specific facility footprints and meet their goals for plant growth and consistency. While growers have traditionally had to plan environmental control around the high heat output of HPS fixtures, VYPR fixtures and all other Fluence LEDs reduce interference with temperature and humidity in the grow space. Fluence’s in-house research and horticultural teams work closely with partners pre-, during and post-installation to adapt to the flexibility and control LEDs offer over environmental conditions for plant growth and operational scale.

Chroni-Co, a tenth-generation family-run commercial agriculture company in South Africa, chose to introduce medical cannabis into its portfolio of crops in 2019. They turned to Fluence for its industry leadership in LED grow lights and professional support for companies entering or already in cannabis production. Chroni-Co has taken advantage of the full range of Fluence products for upscaling production, sustainability and eco-friendliness, incorporating VYPR 2P, VYPR 3P and SPYDR 2X to aid the transition to cannabis cultivation while navigating growing a warm-weather crop against South Africa’s chilly winters.

“When we entered the medical cannabis space, we wanted to identify a lighting partner with a proven track record of supporting successful cannabis grows on a global scale whose work is backed by science and research,” said James Simpson, director and founder of Chroni-Co. “After meeting with Fluence, we knew we’d found a perfect match. Fluence’s VYPR and SPYDR solutions have helped us reduce our emissions and while lowering our operating expenses. More importantly, they’ve helped us provide our customers with a better, more consistent product.”

Early results at Chroni-Co are incredibly promising, with Fluence LEDs leading to a 30% increase in cannabinoid levels and improved morphology in cannabis plants—demonstrating the ability of Fluence products like VYPR and SPYDR to build highly successful, environmentally friendly cannabis harvests in harsh winter environments by offering better heat management and providing a balance for the lack of natural sunlight compared to HPS fixtures.

“Helping science-forward partners achieve a more consistent product and a healthier bottom line is the driving force behind what we do at Fluence,” said Timo Bongartz, general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Fluence. “Beneath Fluence LED technology, Chroni-Co’s medical-grade cannabis started as and has remained top-quality flower that is now sold to patients across Germany, a testament to the caliber of product and the ongoing globalization of the cannabis market that we are proud to play a part in.”

Fluence LED lighting solutions are available for purchase by licensed cultivators in territories in which the cultivation of cannabis is legal. For more information on Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.
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 and is committed to enabling more efficient crop production with the world’s top vertical farms and greenhouse produce growers. Fluence global headquarters are in Austin, Texas, with its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions division. For more information about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.