Effects of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with different light intensities at photoperiod of 18: 6 h on Chlorella pyrenoidosa growth were investigated. The microalgae exhibited the highest growth rate 89.0 mg L-1 d(-1) and growth efficiency 97.8 mg L-1 KWh(-1) at 110 and 90 mu mol m(-2) s(-1), respectively. Based on the discovery of this asynchronous phenomenon between growth rate and growth efficiency, influences of LEDs (red, blue and white) under capped daily energy consumption (0.80 KWh d(-1)) with combinations of electric power (33.3, 44.4 and 66.6 w) and photoperiod (24: 0, 18: 6 and 12: 12 h) were further investigated. The highest growth efficiency 106.4 mg L-1 KWh(-1) and growth rate 85.1 mg L-1 d(-1) were both obtained under white-33.3 w-24 h. Growth efficiency and growth rate were simultaneously improved 1.1 times through this method above. The order of growth efficiency under different LEDs were white > blue > red. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.