By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Jack Henry (Video Editor), Mohammed Ali (Graphics)
The cannabis cultivation industry in the United States requires a significant amount of the nation’s electricity. Recent research suggests that marijuana production uses more power than the cryptocurrency mining sector or all other crops combined, an energy demand that can create large amounts of pollution.
Evan Mills, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, found that American cannabis production contributes greatly to greenhouse gas emissions—comparable to the annual output of 10 million cars.
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This is largely because approximately two-thirds of U.S. cannabis is grown indoors, using artificial lighting, climate control and irrigation systems, all of which draw a lot of power. For a daily user of indoor-grown cannabis, the carbon footprint of their consumption can be nearly half that of their entire household energy use.
Experts believe that moving production outdoors could reduce the industry’s emissions by about three-quarters. However, transitioning to outdoor production presents challenges, including unpredictable weather and pest control, which growers say can impact product quality. Additionally, indoor cannabis can be up to ten times more profitable than its outdoor counterpart.
To address environmental concerns while keeping production quality and profitability, many marijuana businesses are investing in energy-efficient technologies. This includes upgrading to LED lighting, improving energy management, and sourcing renewable energy to reduce their carbon footprint.
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Local governments are also taking action. In Boulder, Colorado, officials have imposed a power surcharge on cannabis growers to fund sustainability initiatives. They include providing energy efficiency consultants and electrical monitoring equipment for cultivation facilities. Other cities, including Denver, Portland, Boston and San Francisco, have also enacted regulations aimed at reducing cannabis-related emissions and increasing long-term sustainability within the industry.
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GROWING MARIJUANA IN THE UNITED STATES DEMANDS A LOT OF THE NATION’S ELECTRITY.
USING MORE POWER THAN THE CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING SECTOR OR ALL OTHER CROPS COMBINED.
WE’VE TOLD YOU BEFORE ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF THE U.S. CANNABIS CULTIVATION INDUSTRY.
BUT NOW, EXPERTS ARE EXPLORING WAYS TO MAKE THESE OPERATIONS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
A SENIOR SCIENTIST AT THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY FOUND AMERICAN CANNABIS PRODUCTION SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTES TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS-
AT A LEVEL EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF 10 MILLION CARS.
THAT’S BECAUSE TWO-THIRDS OF U.S. CANNABIS IS GROWN INDOORS WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING, CLIMATE CONTROL, AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS-
REQUIRING LARGE AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY.
FOR A DAILY USER WHO BUYS INDOOR-GROWN CANNABIS, THEIR MARIJUANA’S CARBON FOOTPRINT IS NEARLY HALF THAT OF THEIR ENTIRE HOME
SHIFTING PRODUCTION OUTSIDE COULD REDUCE EMISSIONS BY AS MUCH AS 75%.
BUT THIS CHANGE PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR GROWERS-
WHO SAY ITS DIFFICULT TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS IN AN OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WHERE WEATHER AND PESTS ARE UNPREDICTABLE.
IN SOME CASES, INDOOR CANNABIS CAN BE UP TO 10 TIMES MORE PROFITABLE THAN OUTDOOR CANNABIS.
SO, MANY MARIJUANA BUSINESSES ARE INSTEAD INVESTING IN ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR THEIR INDOOR OPERATIONS-
UPGRADING TO LED LIGHTING, IMPROVING ENERGY MANAGEMENT, AND SOURCING RENEWABLE POWER TO REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
IN BOULDER, COLORADO, LOCAL OFFICIALS IMPLEMENTED A POWER SURCHARGE ON CANNABIS GROWERS TO FUND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES-
INCLUDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY CONSULTANTS AND ELECTRICAL MONITORING EQUIPMENT FOR GROW HOUSES
OTHER CITIES—INCLUDING DENVER, PORTLAND, BOSTON, AND SAN FRANCISCO—HAVE ALSO ENACTED REGULATIONS TO REDUCE CANNABIS-RELATED EMISSIONS-
ATTEMPTING TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE INDUSTRY.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.
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US cannabis cultivation generates emissions equivalent to 10M vehicles – Straight Arrow News
