Canadian Cannabis Power Issue

As Canadian Cannabis demands skyrocket, so does its electricity consumption.

As the cannabis industry grows at record pace in Canada, so does its electricity consumption; making it difficult for marijuana business owners to keep their energy costs low and profitability high. To keep up with the demand of customers, production will need to increase drastically, which will have an immediate impact on electricity use. In fact, just 14 days after legalizing cannabis in Canada, government licensed shops were facing shortages.

While today’s growing methods of vertical farming and greenhouse-style horticulture has reduced the amount of land needed to grow cannabis, the equipment required to keep up with the demand has surged. LED lighting systems, heating mechanisms, water pumps, ventilation fans, and more are all powered by one source: electricity.

How much electricity is needed to grow cannabis?

According to an article in CBC, it takes about 2,000 kWh of electricity to make one pound of product using traditional growing methods. That’s equivalent to the amount of energy an average Canadian household uses in two months. And while the amount of energy could be reduced by alternative growth methods like those listed above, it still takes a lot of power to keep up with cannabis demands.

Now that marijuana is legalized for both medical and recreational use in Canada, it’s projected to become a multibillion-dollar industry, which naturally equates to increased demands for power – yet it is still unknown exactly how much power will be sufficient. It’s estimated that commercial scale growth operations require on average 15-25MW of power to regulate temperature and humidity.

How can the power industry keep up with the consumption?

MJbizdaily states that as more customers demand more energy, utility companies may have to build new power plants to supply customers’ demands – which is costly.

The solution? Mobile power sources. At APR Energy, we have helped hundreds of companies and industries maximize their energy use while decreasing their energy costs – all without affecting other businesses and residents around them. Our scalable, turnkey power plants offer flexible solutions for reliable, cost-effective electricity when and where businesses need it. As the cannabis industry grows, our power plants grow with the demand; meaning you only use as much power as you need, when you need it.

If you’d like to discuss your own fast-track energy solutions, contact us online or call +1 (904) 223-2278 today.