You're absolutely correct. There are very few situations where the benefit of only using artificial light outweighs the cost of ignoring free sunlight. Most hyd

You're absolutely correct. There are very few situations where the benefit of only using artificial light outweighs the cost of ignoring free sunlight. Most hydroponics will transition with supplemental lighting, not exclusive LED lighting. EDIT:not only does sunlight provide energy for photosynthesis but it also provides free heat for the growing facility, and in many locations heat is not an insignificant expense. Even the choice of lighting (i.e. sodium vs LED) impacts the need for supplemental heating and/or cooling as traditional highouput bulbs are very hot, whereas LED is cool. In winter, that lack of heat must be augmented by supplementary sources. But, on the flip side, LEDs permit closer placement to the plants, offering additional lighting regime options and don't add to the temperature when the facility gets too hot.