Editor's Note: This article has several key takeaways:
1. The first sentence: "Growing four pot plants indoors sucks as much electricity as 29 refrigerators." Holy cow.
2. The economic impact of the legalized marijuana industry is much farther reaching that I think anyone is currently prepared to estimate. Beyond tourism. Beyond new MJ-business-related jobs. Beyond ancillary (not directly involved in the growth, distribution or sale of MJ) businesses and related jobs. Beyond taxes and application/licensing fees. Think about the revenue impact of the use of this much electricity alone. And the impact on water companies, the jobs created by installation of cultivation systems, security systems … this is just the beginning.Â
3. Re: "The … use of LED lighting and high efficiency heating and ventilation systems could reduce electricity use in the operations by about 30 percent. Washington producers surveyed expressed interest in switching to energy efficient LED lighting, although they were concerned about the cost." If you're reducing electricity usage by some 30 percent (and this would be an annual savings), those cost savings have to be compared to any additional cost of installing the LED lighting and heating/ventilation systems. And, of course, the environmental savings is a factor worth considering, especially for an industry just getting its sea legs.Â
Fun fact of the day: Growing four pot plants indoors sucks as much electricity as 29 refrigerators.
Regional power planners and utilities are taking note.
In fact, the legalization of recreational marijuana in the Northwest could make indoor commercial cannabis cultivation one of the biggest new drivers of electricity demand in the region in coming years, according to new report by staff at the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
And that growth could come on bodaciously fast.
