By David Fessler Editor’s Note: Today’s article comes from David Fessler, The Oxford Club’s Energy and Infrastructure Strategist and a contributor to Energy & Resources Digest.
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About two years ago, I started replacing all of our incandescent and fluorescent bulbs with LED versions.
I decided recently to compare the last 12 months of electric use with our use before the switch. I was shocked.
We are now saving $840 a year. This is real savings any homeowner or investor can appreciate.
If you want to start the LED switch, first go after the low-hanging fruit. High-use areas like kitchens, family rooms and children’s bedrooms are top of the list.
Few kids care about energy efficiency. They leave their lights on most of the time whether they are in their rooms or not.
But having a more energy-efficient house, while an admirable, money-saving goal, isn’t why I’m writing this…
I want to talk about the growing marijuana industry.
The Fastest-Growing Industry in the U.S.
As I write, more than half the states have passed some form of marijuana legalization. And that means marijuana production is on the rise.
In 2016, North American sales grew 30% to $6.7 billion. They are projected to exceed $20.2 billion by 2021.
Growing all that pot consumes huge amounts of energy. Much of it goes toward lighting.
In 2012, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory conducted a study on pot-growing energy use. It concluded that as much as 1% of U.S. electricity was then used for growing pot.
At the time, that was equal to about $6 billion. Three years ago, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council estimated Washington state pot operations could increase electric demand by 60 to 160 megawatts over the next 20 years.
Regional demand, which included Washington and a few surrounding states (Oregon, Idaho and Montana), could hit 240 MW by 2035. That’s a lot of power going to pot.
The amount of power required to grow four pot plants is identical to the amount used by 29 refrigerators during the same time frame.
Electricity accounts for about 14% of expenses for growers who use traditional sodium vapor lighting. The problem with sodium vapor lights is they generate a tremendous amount of heat and therefore aren’t very efficient.
Switching to LED lighting cuts power use in half. But electric savings are even greater, since cooling bills are much lower with LED lighting. LEDs generate almost no heat.
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World’s Sixth-Largest Economy Legalizes Pot
So why is this such a big deal?
Because California, the world’s sixth-largest economy, recently legalized marijuana for recreational use. And California’s efficiency standards have a habit of driving their way into the rest of the country.
Most commercial growers raise their pot plants indoors, even though raising them outdoors takes energy costs close to zero.
Of course, pot is no ordinary crop. Security is a major concern. Theft is a very real possibility.
A few months ago, our nightly news showed a midnight raid by thieves on a legal outdoor grower out West. He lost dozens of plants worth thousands of dollars.
Outdoor …read more
Source:: Investment You
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