A new report from New Frontier Data is quantifying the energy consumption of legally and illicitly grown cannabis across the United States. The report shows electricity use is outpacing previous estimates and is expected to grow by 167% by 2022. The study also articulates how cities across California, Colorado, Oregon and Canada are establishing policies to help mitigate energy usage, which is consuming up to 4% of all usage in cities such as Arcata, CA in Humboldt County.
This is the first nation-wide analysis which shows how cannabis cultivation practices are impacting energy usage in legalized adult-use cannabis states. Interestingly, electricity pricing spikes are occurring, which affect all residential consumers in communities which contain either legal or illicit cannabis grows. The study shows cannabis cultivation is 70 times more energy intensive than commercial office buildings, with much of the energy being used for lighting and HVAC requirements, both of which can be mitigated by more efficient lighting.
Fluence’s director of global business operations, Corinne Wilder, contributed and reviewed data from the report, ensuring the committee understood how LED technology will enable more efficient energy usage in the cannabis industry in the coming years ahead.
As the cannabis industry looks to understand the efficiency and efficacy of high-quality, high-yield plant production, Fluence will continue to collaborate with analysts, influencers and policy-makers to ensure the benefits of LED technology is well understood.
To learn more about why LED technology will lead to a brighter and energy-efficient future for cannabis cultivation, please visit our technology page here.
