Plants rely on light to produce necessary nutrients through photosynthesis. Generally speaking, sunlight is the optimal light source for plant growth. In many cases, however, sunlight is insufficient, or accelerated plant growth is desired.

Traditionally, high intensity discharge (HID) lamps have been used for plant growth. The issue with these lights is that the spectrums do not match those of what plants require, and that the efficiencies are fairly low.

They emit a large amount of heat, which is not detrimental to the light itself, but contributes to cooling and HVAC costs for many facilities. Furthermore, they are not RoHS compliant due to the toxicity of chemicals used.

LEDs on the other hand, allow for much flexibility in the way the spectra are constructed. Additionally, efficiencies for LEDs have reached a level such that plant growth using artificial lighting is economically feasible for both commercial and home applications.

Coupled with advances in many artificial plant growth techniques such as solution culture (liquid only) and medium culture (use of artificial soils), LED use in artificial plant growth is expanding rapidly.