County study compares emissions between marijuana grow sites

Cannabis grown in Boulder County greenhouses use about 30% less energy than plants grown in indoor facilities, according to a new assessment released by Boulder County’s Cannabis Energy Impact Offset Fund and Energy Resources Solutions.

The report provided recommendations for cannabis growers in Boulder County to reduce costs, lower carbon footprints and maximize production.

Some key findings from the report:

While indoor grow facilities are more electricity-intensive due to their reliance on artificial lighting, greenhouse-grown cannabis actually requires more fuel due to lower yields in the greenhouses.

Still, greenhouse facilities are 70% more productive than indoor grow sites, when considering productivity through the lens of how much carbon dioxide is emitted to produce a gram of product.

Research done locally like this will help Boulder County producers keep up with market trends nationwide, as more states legalize marijuana.

“As the cannabis industry matures and nationwide market competition increases, it will be imperative for Boulder County cannabis cultivators to make data-driven decisions that lead to energy savings while maintaining or increasing their productivity levels,” said Dave Hatchimonji, energy efficiency program manager at Boulder County, in a statement. This “report should give these organizations a foot up on their peers, while addressing Boulder County’s need to lower the carbon emissions for this energy-intensive industry.”