How do you reduce cannabis growing cost?
AUDIT YOU ENERGY USAGE An energy audit is essential when you want to cut your expenses on cannabis growing. Cultivation facilities run on lighting and electricity. So it’s no wonder why the utility bills are often considered a huge expense in the field. Measuring the initial usage with smart meters could help set accurate baselines on what the proper solutions might be. When it comes to energy audits, you should know that a lot of the energy companies offer free audits for a variety of businesses, including those in the cannabis industry. You can also run your own procedure. The wattage of the grow lights multiplied by the activity hours per day could be deducted from the energy bill. The figure we get as a result equals the costs of Environmental controls and HVAC system.
GROWING MEDIUM The growing medium affects every other decision in the grow room and can subtly impact production costs. Avoid using soil. Soil is costly to purchase and transport. In addition, soil is a one time use growing medium and costs money to dispose of once is has been used. Soil is also a great way to introduce pests and pathogens into a growing environment as they can easily be living in the soil when it arrives at the facility. Use hydroponics if your grower is experienced enough. Once a hydroponic system is in place, the only recurring expense is the water that runs through the system. However, even this can be minimized by sterilizing water that has been run through the system and reusing it. By doing so, minimal additional input is needed, virtually eliminating the monthly operating costs. However, hydroponics should only be used if your grower is experienced enough to handle the advanced system as a mistake could cost the entire crop, thus negating any potential money savings.
USE ENERGY SAVING LIGHTS The problem with classic lighting solutions like sodium lamps is energy usage. They convert energy that you pay for and turn it into heat, which has to be extracted, using additional energy that reflects on your bills. The overall efficiency of conventional lighting technologies (lamps with 250-1000W wattages) is not great. Embracing power-saving solutions like semi or fully automated LED grow lights installment could be a worthy long-term investment.
LED lights are a great way to reduce your energy consumption in an indoor cultivation environment because they can create the same amount of usable light with less wattage (and thus less electricity) than other types of bulbs. This is because all bulbs convert electrical energy to light and heat energy but some are simply more efficient at making that conversion than others. For example, a high pressure sodium (HPS) bulb is about 31 per cent efficient whereas LEDs are about 53 per cent efficient. This means that with the same amount of electrical energy, the LED produces more usable light than the HPS. It's kind of a no-brainer if you can get comfortable working with them. Just be sure you check the spectrum on whatever light you choose to be sure it’s in line with what your plants need. Not only do they emit lower heat, but LED lights can also be adjusted to specific plant needs. With LED installations, the spectrum, and intensity of light are adjustable and the grow lights can be set to turn on and off whenever needed. And since less power is converted, there are fewer bills to be paid.
Dry Coolers Another way to use a hydronic cooling system while minimizing your energy consumption is through using a dry, or free, cooler. This is basically a compressor-less chiller that uses ambient temperatures to cool water. Its employs a cooling tower style fan which draws much less energy than a compressor. It works to supplement the chillers when the outside temperature is between 35°F and 45°F and can completely replace a chiller when the outside temperature is at or below 35°F. In places like Alaska and Colorado, it can be a great option for the winter time and could cut energy consumption by as much as 75 per cent.
PICK EFFICIENT FANS The most energy-efficient exhaust fans have a smaller motor and a larger diameter, with ventilation efficiency factor above 15. This kind of fan uses fewer watts to power a larger fan, so there is no cutting of power on the way of reducing costs.
Water Reclamation Energy consumption is often the most talked about part of designing a sustainable operation but resource consumption should not be overlooked. Indoor gardens use an enormous amount of water everyday. Depending on how your cultivating, you can be looking at between two and five gallons of water per light which can add up quickly in larger, commercial cultivations. To conserve water, it is recommended a water reclamation system, which works by collecting condensate from dehumidifiers and air handlers and turning it back into usable water, is used. These systems are powerful because they not only cut down on how much water you have to bring in from outside, but they will also oxygenate, pH, sterilize, and
filter your water. This allows you to have reverse osmosis level water without having to waste so much of it in the process.
REDUCE THE NEED FOR PESTICIDES. Pesticides can cost $10,000-$12,000 per month and there is mounting consumer concern over their use. A few changes can dramatically decrease the amount used. Isolate grow rooms. Pests and pathogens can spread from room to room through shared air. Prevent this by isolating the air supply in each room. Whenever possible, do not bring in outside air. Install air sanitation equipment. Air sanitation equipment can help prevent breakouts of pests, pathogens and mold as well as minimize the impact if a breakout occurs. Keeping the air in your grow tents clean allows plants to thrive and reduces the risk of crop loss due to bacteria or mold in buds. Keep the entire facility clean. Sterilize all equipment and grow rooms between each use. Infectants such as powdery mildew can be transferred to new plants through equipment. Sterilizing everything that touches plants helps prevent the spread of pests and pathogens.
Go Hydroponic The hydroponic farming method has been around since the Babylonians, and when used in a vertical grow setting, can improve the quality and yield of the crop and save you money. Hydroponic and vertical growing methods go hand in hand because hydroponic systems weigh up to 30% less than traditional soil models, meaning they cost less to support structurally. Also, hydroponics use less than 5% of outdoor grows. Avoiding soil also means avoiding the expensive pesticides and the pests themselves which can lie waiting in the soil and end up destroying an entire crop. Avoid trouble, plan ahead and think about implementing a hydroponic growing system if you haven’t already. Being a cannabis cultivator is fun and exciting, but it comes with its fair share of risks. Don’t let your plants get you down; instead, get your overhead down by implementing some of these techniques and stay focused on the quality of grow.