CABBI – Advances Bioenergy Crop Research

Supporting Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Research

Energy efficiency and sustainability were key priorities for CABBI. By selecting LED lighting and integrating helioCORE, the facility can dynamically adjust lighting levels based on natural sunlight conditions, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining optimal growing conditions.

The ability to respond to daily light integral (DLI) targets ensures that plants receive the required amount of light without overuse of artificial illumination. Additionally, the lower heat output from LED fixtures reduces cooling requirements, further improving the overall energy efficiency of the greenhouse.

“The flexibility and detail of the lighting schedule is wonderful. Also, the user interface is easy to learn. We can utilize sensors to set lighting based on DLI or set a simple start and end time.” – Tracy Johnson, PBIG Greenhouse Manager at CABBI.

Building a Research Facility Designed for Precision and Flexibility

CABBI had the opportunity—and responsibility—to select systems that meet current and future research needs.

“Our facility is brand new, so everything we installed needed to be functional, affordable, and reliable. We also strive to be eco-friendly where possible because we know greenhouses can be a very energy-intensive way to grow crops.” – Tracy Johnson.

Heliospectra’s intelligent control platform, helioCORE, allowed CABBI to align their lighting strategy with their research goals, budget, and implementation timeline. The system provides precise control over lighting intensity and schedules, enabling optimal growing conditions
while maintaining energy efficiency.

Enabling Advanced Research Through Precise Control

One of the most valuable aspects of helioCORE for CABBI is the ability to create and manage multiple lighting zones within the greenhouse.
This allows researchers to tailor lighting strategies to individual crops, experiments, or growth stages without affecting other sections of the facility.

By dividing the greenhouse into smaller zones, CABBI can operate only the lights required for specific experiments, improving both energy efficiency and experimental precision. Lighting strategies can be pre-programmed, stored, and reused, ensuring consistent conditions across multiple research cycles.

This level of control is essential for research environments, where repeatability and accurate environmental management are critical. The system also provides automatic notifications for power interruptions, strategy completion, and system updates, helping ensure continuous operation.

Creating Optimal Conditions for Year-Round Research

Before the PBIG facility was operational, CABBI researchers faced limitations with traditional research environments. Field trials are
constrained by seasonal conditions and unpredictable weather, while growth chambers provide controlled environments but are limited
in scale.

The new greenhouse, supported by Heliospectra’s lighting and control system, provides an ideal balance between scale and environmental control. Researchers can conduct experiments on a meaningful scale while maintaining precise control over temperature, humidity, and
lighting year-round.

“Our researchers like that we can export lighting data and compare it to plant growth or other environmental factors like temperature
and humidity. Our lights provide enough light to truly extend our day length and optimize plant growth, even when natural day length
is very short.” – Tracy Johnson.

Enabling a Smooth and Efficient Implementation

Throughout the implementation, the Heliospectra team worked closely with the team from CABBI to ensure smooth deployment and
successful integration of the system. Training sessions, system configuration support, and ongoing technical assistance helped CABBI
quickly establish and optimize their lighting strategies.

“The Heliospectra team has been very supportive throughout the entire process. They are always available to answer questions as we
continue to develop and refine our facility.” – Tracy Johnson.

Supporting the Future of Sustainable Crop Research

With Heliospectra’s MITRA X LED lighting and helioCORE Light Control System, CABBI has established a flexible, efficient, and reliable
research environment capable of supporting advanced plant science and sustainable crop development.

By combining precise lighting control, energy-efficient technology, and adaptable system management, CABBI can conduct research under highly controlled conditions while maintaining its commitment to sustainability. As research continues, the facility is well-positioned to
generate insights that will support the future of sustainable agriculture and bioenergy crop production. CABBI’s latest research projects are currently in the early phases of publication, with new findings expected to be shared in upcoming scientific journals.


Stay tuned for future updates from CABBI’s ongoing research.

About Cabbi

The Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in collaboration with 19 partner institutions. CABBI brings together universities, national laboratories, and industry partners to develop sustainable bioenergy crops and bioproducts, with a focus on improving crop performance, resilience, and resource efficiency. The research spans plant science, genomics, and agricultural systems, with the goal of enabling scalable solutions for a renewable bioeconomy.

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