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LED Lights

alternative practice names:

Light Emitting Diodes

LED lights are the most energy-efficient and long-lasting lighting technology available on the market today. Older lighting technologies, such as fluorescent, incandescent, metal halide, high-pressure sodium, and mercury vapor, are typically cheaper to install upfront but result in significantly higher energy costs and replacement costs over the lifetime of the lighting fixture. 


In contrast to older technologies which use gas-filled tubes and filaments to create light, LEDs use electronic diodes that are more resilient and long-lived. While early generations of LED lights commonly had issues with quality, longevity, and efficiency versus conventional lighting alternatives, there now exists a wide variety of high-quality LED fixtures that are designed to operate in dairy farm environments and are resistant to dust and moisture.  


LED lighting solutions are available for barns, milking parlors, offices, outdoor spaces, and holding areas, and can typically reduce lighting electricity costs by 50-80%, with a short payback period.

When used, in what regions in the U.S. is the practice found: 

Northwest, West, Upper Midwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast

FARM SIZE 

When used, typically found on farms of the following sizes:

All Sizes

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Practice Benefits 

Improved profitability: The main benefit of upgrading to LED lighting is savings on electricity costs. Another benefit of LED lighting is that high-quality LED fixtures last far longer than fluorescent or high-intensity discharge lamps such as metal halide and high-pressure sodium. This results in lower maintenance costs to replace bulbs over the life of the lighting fixture.


Improved light quality: LEDs also tend to improve lighting quality on the dairy farm (a combination of the “color temperature” and “color rendering index”), which can improve worker safety and make it easier for workers to detect problems and animal health issues.  For example, blood is harder to spot under high-pressure sodium lights, which tend to have a more orange hue, versus most LED lights, which are typically selected to more closely resemble natural daylight. 


Increased milk yields: In some cases, optimizing dairy lighting can also result in higher milk yields, particularly if a technique called “long-day lighting” is used.

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Implementation Insights

Site-specific or Farm-specific requirements 

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  • Planning: LED lighting solutions are available for all areas of a dairy farm, but proper planning is needed to ensure the optimal lighting system design. 

  • Natural lighting: Utilizing natural lighting (also known as “daylighting”) can be a low-cost or no-cost solution in some areas of the dairy, depending on the layout and lighting needs. To take full advantage of natural lighting, lighting control systems are typically needed to automatically turn lights on and off, and/or dim lights dynamically based on real-time sensor feedback.

Required Capital Expenditures (CapEx)

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  • LED fixtures: The primary expense is LED fixtures, along with the labor required to install them. LED lighting vendors that specialize in lighting for dairy and livestock facilities can sometimes provide a lighting design free of charge. LED lights are typically compatible with both single-phase and 3-phase power.

Required Operational Expenditures (OpEx)

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  • Maintenance: Ongoing maintenance costs for LED lights are generally low, and maintenance can be performed in-house without skilled labor. The electricity cost savings realized from installing LED lighting will greatly outweigh any ongoing maintenance costs. The most important aspect of LED light maintenance is ensuring that the fixtures remain free of dust, particularly if they have metal fins that disperse heat. Selecting fixtures that are water-resistant and have an IP rating of 65 or greater can typically withstand water sprayed directly onto the fixture, but it is always best to follow manufacturer recommendations for maintenance. 

Implementation Considerations

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  • LED fixture upgrades: The efficacy of LED lighting, measured in lumens per Watt (LPW), has improved drastically since their introduction into the marketplace, so dairy farms that were early adopters of LED lighting can often significantly reduce their electricity costs by upgrading to the latest LED fixtures. Most problems with LED lighting stem from installing inexpensive fixtures without the proper warranty, industry certification, and vendor guarantees.

  • LED selection considerations: Farmers should consider selecting LED fixtures that provide a minimum of 140 LPW and are specifically designed for dairies and/or to operate in dusty and moist locations (e.g., IP65 or greater), have at least a 5-year warranty and are certified by the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) to ensure that the LPW rating is accurate, and that the fixtures meet other electrical safety standards. Working with an experienced LED lighting vendor is highly recommended to ensure the optimal lighting design. 

Financial Considerations and Revenue Streams

FEDERAL COST-SHARE AND CONSERVATION FUNDING

Funding is available for this practice through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) On-Farm Energy Initiative.

Notes:

  • An Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), or other qualifying energy audit, needs to be completed before applying for EQIP assistance.

  • Check with the local NRCS office on payment rates and practice requirements relevant to your location.


The USDA Rural Development Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) also offers competitive grants and loan guarantees for installing energy efficiency projects.


OTHER CONSERVATION FUNDING

LED lighting rebates are sometimes available through the farm’s electric utility company. Utility rebate programs usually require that LED fixtures meet certain requirements, such as being DLC-listed. 

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Environmental Impacts

REDUCES FARM GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT

Improving energy use efficiency reduces a farm's greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. Since energy production typically involves processes that emit greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, cutting energy use directly lowers the GHG footprint of the farm.

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Alignment with FARM Program

FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) V2-V3 Alignment

FARM ES captures a farm's energy usage and calculates the associated GHG emissions based on regional energy production and transmission averages. Any practice that reduces farm energy consumption will directly lower the farm's GHG footprint. The reduction in GHG emissions is particularly pronounced in regions where a larger proportion of energy is derived from coal, natural gas, or other fossil fuel sources, as these energy types have higher carbon footprints compared to renewable energy sources.


FARM Animal Care (AC) V5 Alignment

Farm AC requires all animal facilities to be designed to have adequate lighting for animal observation and for the safety of family and non-family employees with animal care responsibilities.

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We're always eager to update the website with the latest research, implementation insights, financial case studies, and emerging practices. Use the link above to share your insights. 

We're always eager to update the website with the latest research, implementation insights, financial case studies, and emerging practices. Use the link above to share your insights. 

Contents

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Practice Overview

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Practical Insights.png
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Research Results.png
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LED lights are the most energy-efficient and long-lasting lighting technology available on the market today. Older lighting technologies, such as fluorescent, incandescent, metal halide, high-pressure sodium, and mercury vapor, are typically cheaper to install upfront but result in significantly higher energy costs and replacement costs over the lifetime of the lighting fixture. 


In contrast to older technologies which use gas-filled tubes and filaments to create light, LEDs use electronic diodes that are more resilient and long-lived. While early generations of LED lights commonly had issues with quality, longevity, and efficiency versus conventional lighting alternatives, there now exists a wide variety of high-quality LED fixtures that are designed to operate in dairy farm environments and are resistant to dust and moisture.  


LED lighting solutions are available for barns, milking parlors, offices, outdoor spaces, and holding areas, and can typically reduce lighting electricity costs by 50-80%, with a short payback period.

Practices and technologies

LED Lights

alternative practice name:

Light Emitting Diodes