Cutting energy use can help keep marijuana cultivation costs in line

(This is an abridged version of a story that appears in the February issue of Marijuana Business Magazine.)

Cultivators hoping to keep production costs down should consider one crucial component shaping their bottom line: energy consumption.

When looking to make a cultivation site consume less juice, a grower should take a look at three main areas:

• Lighting
• Heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems
• Type of facility

Regardless of whether it’s an indoor warehouse or a greenhouse, a lighting system directly affects how growers run their HVAC systems.

So all three of these considerations play into the decisionmaking process.

“We would estimate lights require about 50% of your energy consumption and HVAC another 50%,” said Av Singh, a Canadian-based cannabis cultivation adviser.

In fact, Singh noted, the two systems can affect one another, given that some types of lights put off more heat than others.

“Lights are triggered by HVAC, and back and forth.”

Marijuana Business Magazine spoke with experts in the field to ascertain the best ways to cut cultivation production costs.

Click here to learn more about:

• LEDs versus high-pressure sodium lighting.
• Picking the right HVAC system.
• Factoring in indoor grows and greenhouses.
• Energy-saving tips.