When designing a cannabis grow facility, there are many things to consider. One of the most crucial things to consider is the energy consumption and electricity bill.
Do you want to know why grow facilities use a considerable amount of electricity and the risk of spending too much? Keep reading to learn four major tips to lowering your electric bill and how a GCE National expert can help your cannabis grow facility succeed!
Grow Facilities Use a Considerable Amount of Electricity
Cannabis grow facilities require many things to operate smoothly. Most of the necessary equipment needed for a cannabis grow facility consumes energy.
To properly run a cannabis grow facility, the lights are used to imitate the outside world. This means that it needs enough heat to simulate the sun, enough humidity to simulate the air, and enough cooling to simulate the atmosphere.
With an abundance of heat and bulbs, grow facilities spend an exponential amount on electricity. Cannabis grow facilities also require a cooling system to provide the right atmosphere for their plants. Ventilation and cooling can also increase electricity use.
What do Grow Facilities Spend on Electricity
Electricity is most commonly the biggest cost of a grow facility. Many items need to be purchased to operate a cannabis grow facility. These items include power equipment, installation, plants, seeds, plant boxes, humidity equipment, watering equipment, lights, heating systems, cooling systems, and more.
Equipment and operating systems may cost more initially, but electricity is a price that is paid continually throughout the ownership of a cannabis grow facility. This means that people typically spend more money maintaining a grow facility in the long run.
According to Growace.com, “Experts estimate that indoor cannabis growing requires about 10 times more energy on average than the amount of energy that is used by a standard office building.”
With grow facilities requiring approximately ten times more energy on average, it is easy to see why it is more expensive. With the energy consumption and electricity demands, there comes a risk of spending too much on electricity.
Risk of Spending Too Much
When you spend too much money on one thing, you run out of budget for everything else. When spending too much money on electricity bills and energy output, growers must make necessary sacrifices.
Many growers do not have enough money for high-quality equipment because of electrical bills. High-quality equipment can help many cannabis grow facilities succeed. If a person is spending too much money on electricity (and not enough on grow facility essentials), their cannabis may die, and they could lose even more money.
When people spend excess capital, they are not able to prepare for emergencies. If there is an accident within the grow facility, growers have to pay for repairs, maintenance, or replacements. Those who are spending too much on electricity may not have the money to continue their grow facility.
Tips to Lower Your Bill
CHOOSE THE BEST LIGHTS
To guarantee the success of your grow facility and a lower electricity bill, growers need to focus on energy-efficient and cost-efficient lights. Three lights provide both energy efficiency and cost-efficiency.
LED (Light-Emitting Diode)
LED lights are becoming increasingly popular among cannabis grow facilities. They are becoming more favorable because they provide the same light intensity as most non-LED bulbs but less heat emission. With less heat emission comes less ventilation and cooling. Most people forget that grow facilities require cooling just as much as they require heating. With LED lights, cannabis grow facilities do not need the energy for cooling or ventilation. The downside to LED lights is that they cost more upfront. But they quickly pay back the investment over time.
CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide)
CMH, also known as Ceramic Metal Halide, bulbs are another option for energy-efficient, cost-efficient cannabis grow facilities. CMH consumes less energy than other grow facility bulbs. Therefore, the electricity bill is far lower than the average. The downside of CMH bulbs is that they have a high heat output. With this high heat emission, grow facilities need good quality ventilation and a cooling system. Even though they emit a higher than normal heat, they are still more energy-efficient than most grow facility bulbs.
HPS (High-Pressure Sodium Vapor)
Many veteran cannabis growers believe that HPS produces better light and better heat for their plants. Cannabis requires different levels of intensities throughout its lifespan. High-Pressure Sodium Vapor lights are extremely beneficial through the flowering stage. Like CMH bulbs, HPS bulbs emit more heat than other bulbs; this requires a solid cooling system.
PLAN AHEAD
Another great tip to lower your electric bill is to plan thoroughly. It is ideal to use only what you need. There should be no reason to use more electricity, energy, heat, or cooling than necessary.
Firstly, determine how the size of your space will be. Growers should also know how many plants they will be acquiring. Once the size and plants are accounted for, growers can calculate how many lights they will need.
By predetermining the amount of energy needed, growers can save money by not buying unnecessary equipment. Growers can also save money by not running the HVAC system more than necessary when they do not use an abundance of energy.
KEEP TRACK OF PAST USAGE
By keeping track of your past energy output usage, you can plan for future expenses. Keeping track of your electricity bill and energy output allows you to monitor your spending and energy. Growers can learn where they can and can not make cutbacks.
Keeping track of past usage allows growers to make changes and improvements to their cannabis grow facility.
HIRE A GROW FACILITY LIGHTING PROFESSIONAL
GCE National employs cannabis grow lighting professionals, and they can benefit you and your grow facility. A lighting professional can aid new cannabis growers and veteran cannabis growers.
GCE National can help you create the perfect lighting design plan for your cannabis grow facility. These experts know which bulbs are the most energy-efficient, cost-efficient, and how to lower your electric bill and energy output.
Talk to a Grow Facility Lighting Professional from GCE National today!
