Powering pot: Energy for US cannabis industry could electrify 13.5M homes

Apr 26

Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Zachary Hill (Video Editor), Mohammed Ali (Motion Graphics Designer)

In recent years, the burgeoning cannabis industry in the United States has become responsible for a significant amount of energy consumption. The electricity required nationwide for cannabis cultivation is equivalent to powering roughly 13.5 million homes, constituting about 1% of the entire country’s annual energy usage.

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With the industry expected to expand further, experts project that this demand could surge to 3% by 2035. Utility providers have issued warnings about the escalating energy needs of cannabis growers, cautioning that they could eventually demand as much power as a small city.

Cannabis has been identified as the most energy-intensive agricultural crop in the U.S., with nearly 90% of it grown indoors, contributing to a constant drain on the power grid. Some grow rooms operate 24 hours a day, requiring up to 40 times more energy to care for than similar plants like lettuce.

The impact of indoor cannabis cultivation on local power infrastructure is becoming increasingly evident. In Portland, Oregon, the proliferation of indoor weed cultivation has led to at least seven different power outages. Similarly, after marijuana was legalized in Colorado, almost half of Denver’s new power demand came from grow rooms. In Massachusetts, approximately one-tenth of the state’s total power usage is now allocated to indoor cannabis cultivation.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has indicated it is taking note of this issue. This organization of lawmakers said the link between cannabis cultivation and energy consumption is becoming an increasingly relevant concern for their legislative agenda.

[JACK ALYMER]
To keep the cannabis industry running in the U.S., the amount of energy needed is getting pretty high.

[Parks and Recreation]

Are you high?

[JACK ALYMER]

The electricity required nationwide is equivalent to powering roughly 13.5 million homes.

Or about one percent of the entire country’s annual energy usage. And as the industry expands, that demand is expected to jump to 3 percent by 2035.

Utility providers are putting out the warning, saying growers could eventually demand as much power as a small city.

[40-Year-Old Virgin]

That’s a lot of weed.

[JACK ALYMER]

Experts call cannabis the most energy-intensive crop in the U.S. Almost ninety percent of it is grown indoors, where it becomes a constant drain on the power grid.

Some of these grow rooms operate 24 hours a day, requiring up to 40 times more energy to care for than similar plants like lettuce.

[Man with a Plan]

The devil’s lettuce!

[JACK ALYMER]

Portland, Oregon has seen so much indoor weed cultivation that it’s actually led to at least seven different power outages.

After weed was legalized in Colorado, almost half of Denver’s new power demand came from grow rooms. And in Massachusetts, a tenth of the state’s total power usage now goes towards growing weed indoors.

It’s an issue the National Conference of State Legislatures is keeping an eye on.

[Bob’s Burgers]

We have a terrible weed problem.

[JACK ALYMER]

This group of lawmakers has said the link between cannabis cultivation and energy consumption is something that’s becoming increasingly relevant to their legislative agenda, especially as the number of states legalizing marijuana continues to grow.