How Cannabis Operations Strain Power Grids
With the legalization of cannabis in many states, there has been an increase of legalized grow operations coming into existence. While this may be a newer, booming industry, there are a lot of problems that can arise from such a rising market. One of the biggest problems that come into questions is whether or not the local power grid and sustain these operations on a large scale.
Grow operations are very power intensive tasks that draw upon a lot of power in order to effectively operate. Grow operations have even been compared with and considered to be on par with hospitals & data centers when it comes to power consumption. When we consider that there may be more than one grow operation within a specific area, this is not only overdraw on the local power grid, but can cause many outages by overloading the electrical circuits. This is a big reason why it’s important to thoroughly go through all the steps before starting your grow ops. This includes consulting and work closely with a licensed electrician that can help you look for any areas that may prove troublesome in the future. This could include actions such as configuring a dedicated circuit, or assessing transformer capacity and other electrical equipment that delivers power to the local area.
While the currently booming cannabis industry may be to blame for the strain on power grids, a lot of experts also take into account the sub-standard electrical practices conducted during times of black market cannabis grow ops. Before legalization in many states, there were growers who often jerry rigged an electrical setup that would feasibly sustain their grow operations. This often times led to many blown transformers, outages, rolling brownouts, and even blackouts for these growers who had taxed the local power grid or connecting electrical equipment. This emphasizes the importance of working with a licensed electrician who can help field your questions and provide insight to the best possible approach when setting up grow operations, as well as keeping you within regulation and out of trouble.
Backing Up Your Grow Op
While a licensed electrician can help with providing insight and ensuring that all equipment is up to standards to mitigate blown transformers – that can only take you so far.
Power outages that are unrelated to your grow ops and power draw on the local grid can come in the form of severe storms, winter weather, natural disasters, man-made disasters, planned power outages for utility upgrades, and unplanned power outages due to component failure. This stresses the importance of having a reliable backup power source to keep your operations up & running, even when events like power outages happen outside if your control.
For many commercial cannabis grow operations, a popular choice is a backup generator (also known as a standby generator). These backup generators can help keep key systems & equipment running in order to ensure the health and safety of your crop, but also your employees as well! When paired together with an automatic transfer switch (ATS for short), a standby generator will immediately begin to kick in as soon as a power outage is detected and shut off when power is restored.
When considering a commercial grade backup generator for your business or facility, keep in mind that they’re not simply a plug and play. There are many considerations that must be evaluated, including groundwork that must be conducted before you go through with the purchase and installation process.
For example, a standby generator can be installed either outside of the facility or inside the facility. If the standby generator is installed outside of the facility, it required a concrete pad where the generator will sit upon when installed. If the generator is installed within the facility, there are extra steps and precautions that must be made such as ventilation, heat displacement, and install location. A backup generator can be a great benefit to have on-site, but it can be dangerous when handled improperly.
Another important example item to consider is fuel type. There are diesel generators and natural gas generators. These backup generators used in many commercial and industrial applications most commonly each rely on these two fuel types respectively. Each generator and their respective fuel type come with their pros & cons, which we’ll briefly go over.
Diesel
Diesel generators commonly have fuel tanks attached to them at the base that act as the main fuel storage, as well as fuel supply to provide fuel to the generator to keep it running. This is achieved by feeding diesel fuel to the internal combustion engine and allows for the generation of electricity. The downside to using a diesel generator is the runtime is generally limited to the size of its tank. That means when the fuel runs out, you will need to replenish the fuel supply in order to keep the generator running.
Natural Gas
A natural gas generator is connected directly to the natural gas pipeline in your area, so there is little need for a fuel tank. This means that as long as the main gas utility is working, then the generator can run indefinitely without need to worry about refueling. The downside is that natural gas generators tend to have a higher need for more frequent maintenance and during events like natural disasters, the natural gas pipelines may be the first utility to be cut off to prevent potential fires or explosions.
While each generator and their fuel type offer more benefits and merits of their own, these are the most common comparisons that users evaluate before locking in their final purchase decision.
When it comes to ensuring that power loss doesn’t set you back with your commercial grow op, a backup generator can be a great solution.
If you’re looking for more information on backup generators, it can be found here: What to Know Before Installing a Backup Generator
If you’re looking for more information on the role backup generators play in cannabis industries and commercial grow ops, more resources can be found here: Grow Op Resources
If you’re looking for a generator for your grow operation, please reach out to us at Woodstock Power Company!
Give us a call at 610-658-3242 or email us at sales@woodstockpower.com
You can also fill out our Contact Form and one of our representatives will get back to you!
THE WOODSTOCK POWER COMPANY EXPERIENCE
We have industry experts that focus on commercial generator sets, with in-depth industry knowledge to help you choose the right generator that fits your needs.
We are industry leaders in buying and selling used generators to fit the needs of many businesses, including commercial, industrial, medical, agricultural, and university. This includes facilities like hospitals, better living centers, nursing home, airports, hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail centers, manufacturing, production, and more.
Our experts are ready to assist you from answering any questions you may have about power generator sets to helping you find the best selection in our inventory based on:
- Peak & Average Power Requirements
- Fuel Preference (Natural Gas or Diesel)
- Portability & Stationary Power
- Prime & Standby Generator Requirements
- Available Space & Exhaust Restrictions
We carry only the most top rated new, used, and surplus power generator sets for sale, providing you with a great value generator that will fit your budget.
Our generators have been thoroughly inspected, serviced, and verified, which ensures that you will be buying a quality generator that you can depend on. If a generator is not up to par with industry standards, we make all necessary repairs or modifications, and fully test every generator before we sell. This ensures a full turnkey generator that’s ready to fire up and go!
Due to our wide selection of generator sets, we’re confident that we can find the model that best suits your operational needs and budget.
We also buy used generators in good quality, if you have already upgraded and you’re looking to sell your older model.
Feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or inquiries to learn more about the Woodstock Power Company experience and the quality level of products & services we provide.