As we mark the 10th anniversary of the “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report, I’m struck by how much this industry has evolved—and how growers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with light. For more than a decade, this report has provided an unmatched window into the evolution of cannabis cultivation technology—reflecting where we are today and how far we’ve come. Fluence’s long-standing support of this research underscores our
Steve GravesHeadshot courtesy Fluence
When this report was first launched, LEDs were still the outlier. Today, they’re the standard. Nearly 80% of growers now use LEDs in flower—a remarkable jump from just 15% in 2016. It’s proof that innovation, supported by data and science, continues to drive our industry forward.
This search for increased efficiency helps explain one of the topics that seems top of mind in this year’s survey—dynamic lighting. Growers across North America are taking notice and are looking at tunable, responsive lighting environments that can be adjusted to the needs of the plant in real time. “Managing energy costs” ranked as the top lighting challenge for cultivators, and 58% cited “energy efficiency” among their top five lighting purchasing considerations. Combine that with the 76% of commercial growers who named “crop quality” among their top three priorities for LED use, and it’s no surprise that 43% are exploring dynamic lighting as the next step forward. Their motivations are clear—better flowering quality, higher yields, and greater control throughout the cultivation cycle.
Another major advancement is how growers are using control systems to bring all these technologies together. The 2025 report shows that 93% of commercial indoor cultivators and greenhouse cultivators who use supplemental lighting now use some form of lighting control, whether through integrated building automation systems, environmental control platforms, or wireless dimming. This growth reflects a deeper shift toward precision cultivation—where every micromole and watt is optimized for plant response, energy efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. Growers are increasingly connecting lighting, HVAC, and irrigation through unified systems to achieve greater consistency, reduce manual intervention and focus on crop quality. This integration of hardware, software, and science represents the next frontier in controlled environment agriculture.
Growers across North America are beginning to explore how dynamic spectrum and automation can be practical tools in driving measurable crop improvements. By fine-tuning light recipes and integrating connected light solutions, cultivators are looking to improve consistency, reduce operational costs, and elevate quality across their facilities. These aren’t theoretical benefits—they’re tangible outcomes proving that technology, when guided by plant science, can take cultivation to new levels of precision and performance.
As the cannabis industry continues to mature, Fluence remains committed to advancing research and empowering cultivators worldwide. For a decade, this exclusive report—produced by Cannabis Business Times in collaboration with Fluence—has provided growers with unparalleled insight into lighting trends, challenges, and opportunities. We’re proud to help illuminate not just the science of light, but the future of cultivation itself.
Thank you for being part of this journey—and here’s to another decade of innovation and growing smarter together.
— Steve Graves, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Fluence