The power strategies for grow facilities are critical components of profitability. While some innovative and sustainable power options may require a sizable upfront investment, they can substantially reduce operating cost over the long term.
Growing cannabis and other crops indoors demands a great deal of energy to be successful. As mentioned in the Western Energy Institute, successful indoor cannabis growing operations require 18 hours for the vegatative growth phase and 12 hours of continuous light for the flowering growth phase. Powering the lighting and the indoor HVAC/dehumidification units necessary for successful indoor cultivation - while maintaining essential conditions, can be very expensive.
Individual lighting fixtures can consume from 300 to 600 to 1000 watts while also throwing off significant heat that must be offset with expensive HVAC systems to maintain proper humidity while typically keeping the interior temperature between 68º and 78ºF for optimal yields.
Effective power strategies for your grow facility are also necessary to manage other operational elements like irrigation, dehumidifying, heat eliminating fans, packaging systems, laboratory operations, administrative equipment, security, and more.
Ensuring a Reliable Power Resource
Maintaining continuous power for growing, no matter what the source may be, is vital for any indoor grow operation. While the electric grid is typically reliable, we know that blackouts and other disruptions from fire, flood, earthquakes, tornadoes, windstorms, hot summer days, or hurricanes can occur at any time. Without power strategies for your grow facility that include an alternative power source, a lengthy break in service may lead to any indoor grow operation's financial ruin. Alternative power strategies for your grow facility are essential to protect against unexpected energy interruptions.
Alternative Energy Options
To remain (or become) competitive in an ever-expanding industry, indoor growers have adopted some creative and environmentally friendly power solutions.
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Solar Power
Harnessing the sun's power for indoor growing is possible with photovoltaic solar panels that can capture and store solar energy during the day. Many local governments and power companies offer credits and tax incentives to install solar panels and lower carbon footprints.
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Co-Generation
Co-generation or "cogen" has gained popularity in Europe and is rapidly expanding in the United States. While using less expensive natural gas, the cogen process can create an income stream from selling excess electricity back to the grid while also reducing the cost of the power needed to grow your plants.
Cogen involves converting natural gas into energy to heat the indoor growing facility while producing ample carbon dioxide essential for the plant's growth.
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Gas Generation
Gas generators are cost effective backups for electricity outages, peak shaving capacity, and load balancing when capacity constraints kick in. Available in a range of configurations this technology adds flexibility to the power planning and unplanned demands that happen.
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Battery Power
Batteries are another essential part of your power strategies for your grow facility. Capturing energy is one side of the power equation. Storing power for future use is the other. Batteries become the "reservoir" for the energy gathered by solar, wind, or other sources. Efficient batteries are essential during blackouts or the absence of sufficient sunlight, wind, or other power resources.
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Implement LED Lighting
As part of your power strategy for your grow facility, upgrading to LED (light-emitting diode) lighting provides better energy efficiency, longer life, and minimized maintenance over frequently used metal halide or high-pressure sodium lamps. LED lighting is an exceptionally efficient element of any power strategy for your grow facility by producing the right amount of light while emitting less heat than other light alternatives. LED lighting options create the ideal light spectrum by using far less wattage and scale to your grow operation's size and needs. TSRgrow LED Lighting Solutions also employ remote power servers: remote power servers are centrally located, remove heat from the grow room, centralize all controls, offer centralized monitoring and integrate directly in backup power technologies mentioned above.
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Sustainability
Profitability is not the only benefit you may realize from adopting alternative power strategies for your grow facility. You can also reduce the quantity of fossil fuels used and the resulting harmful emissions. Adopting alternative, environmentally positive power strategies for your grow facility can enhance your community image as a socially conscious enterprise.
Learn About TSRgrow Energy Reducing Systems
TSRgrow, based in Warwick, RI, offers state-of-the-art equipment and power management resources to maximize the efficiency and profitability for any indoor growing operation. Their TGHV Remote Power Servers provide a central control hub to remotely monitor and manage energy within the grow space to ensure the most efficient power levels are consumed. This power server is compatible with solar, wind, cogen, or other energy sources.
The TSRgrow team has developed cloud-based power strategies for your grow facility systems to help grow operations manage and monitor power, lighting, and other essential elements onsite or in remote locations. They provide easy-to-install yet highly sophisticated options to support your grow facility's power strategies for any size greenhouse, vertical, or indoor grow operation. Their professionals can tailor a highly efficient, remotely-accessed power plan tailored for your needs.
If you are interested in learning more about power strategies for your grow facility, visit TSRgrow.com today. You may also submit your questions through the Contact Us page by using the link below and one of our growing specialists will contact you promptly to answer any questions and offer recommendations for integrating our solutions into your grow operations.
