ECOBAR 1.5 R cultivation bar

EcoBar is the result of years of research aimed at identifying the most efficient LED lighting for greenhouse cultivation of tomatoes and all other row crops (and more).

Developed from the experience of the STL H3 series (whose industrial features, such as IP69-IK10 protection, were even excessive for greenhouse environments), EcoBar optimizes performance with an unbeatable efficiency/cost ratio, ensuring an extremely short return on investment (ROI). The main strategic innovation is the continuous distribution of light, positioned at the center of the rows, even just above the top of the plants. This solution offers drastic advantages over the traditional placement of HPS lamps and Top Compact LEDs:

• 99% uniformity: The longitudinal distribution of EcoBar LEDs guarantees 99% uniformity of light along the row, compared to 75-80% for HPS lamps and TOP compact LEDs with optics (and 60-65% for TOP compacts without optics), even in very low greenhouses.
• Light Capture Efficiency: By positioning the bars just above the top of the plants, light dispersion to the ground, outside the greenhouse, or on internal structures (poles, cables, spools) is eliminated. 98-99% of the light is intercepted directly by the plants, compared to 85-86% with the best TOP compact LEDs on the market.
• Agronomic Energy Efficiency: In row-crop greenhouses, just 40W/m² is enough to achieve a PPFD of over 200 μmol/s·m² at the plant tips. However, not only PPFD is important for growth, but also targeted and uniform light distribution and a balanced spectrum.
• Balanced Internal/External Distribution: The system distributes 75% of the light inside the rows and 25% outside, perfectly compensating for natural light (which by its nature illuminates the outside of the row a lot and the inside a little). The very uniform and vertical distribution of light along the entire row is infinitely more effective than that from lamps positioned every 4 or 5 meters.
• Localized Thermal Benefit: Switching from HPS to traditional TOP LEDs deprives the upper part of the plants of the thermal contribution of sodium. EcoBar solves this problem: thanks to the short distance from the tops, it provides a fair amount of localized radiant heat that promotes the development and setting of flowers.

Revolutionary Innovation: UV protection without light leakage

Unlike standard products on the market, all EcoBar models are free of glass, PMMA, or similar protections, which result in light losses of 9% to 15% (especially with optics). Protection against dust and humidity is achieved through a special polyurethane and polyacrylate copolymer paint, applied directly to the LEDs and cured in a UV oven. This guarantees light loss of less than 0,5% and high thermal dissipation, enhanced by the large radiating surface of the aluminum bar.

Conclusions and Energy Savings

Combining the advantages of uniformity, intercepted efficiency and technical evolution, EcoBar fixtures allow for energy savings of 50-55% compared to HPS lamps and 15-20% compared to the best TOP compact LED lamps, while at the same time recording a significant increase in the final harvest.