Marijuana use, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes, is growing. Because some states prohibit growing hemp plants outdoors, much of the production is indoors—an energy-intensive operation that requires grow lights, air conditioning, and dehumidification.[1]
Cannabis cultivation centers (where the plants are grown) have been likened to data centers, which are “50 to 200 times more energy-intense than a typical office building.”[2] With more states expected to legalize recreational cannabis in the next few years (medical use is currently legal in 33 states,[3] and adult recreational cannabis use is currently legal in 11 states[4]), demand for marijuana will continue to grow, bringing with it strain on energy resources.
In Illinois, energy efficiency is a statewide concern, including in the cannabis sector. Under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, cultivation centers (where the hemp plants are grown) must have an energy and resource plan, including:
(i) energy needs, including estimates of monthly electricity and gas usage, to what extent it will procure energy from a local utility or from on-site generation, and if it has or will adopt a sustainable energy use and energy conservation policy;
(ii) water needs, including estimated water draw and if it has or will adopt a sustainable water use and water conservation policy; and
(iii) waste management, including if it has or will adopt a waste reduction policy.[5]
The statute also specifies technological standards for the facility, including for lights, HVAC systems, automated water application, and water filtration.[6]
These measures may be especially important due to the marked uptick in cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic,[7] though overall electricity demand fell in the Midwest this spring, likely due to decreased manufacturing and other economic activity.[8]
[1] Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Indoor Agriculture, https://www.mwalliance.org/initiatives/issues/indoor-agriculture (last visited Sept. 17, 2020).
[2] Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Legalized Cannabis and Energy Use https://www.mwalliance.org/sites/default/files/meea-research/cannabis_fact_sheet_2.19.20.pdf/.
[3] State Medical Marijuana Laws, Nat’l Conference of State Legislators (Mar. 10, 2020), https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx (last visited Sept. 17, 2020).
[4]Marijuana Overview, Nat’l Conference of State Legislators (Oct. 17, 2019), https://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/marijuana-overview.aspx (last visited Sept. 17, 2020).
[5] 410 Ill. Comp. Stat. 705/20-15(a)(18) (2019).
[6] 705/20-15(a)(23).
[7] Alison Stine, You Know What Else Has Sold Well During the Pandemic? Weed Edibles, N.Y. Times (Sept. 4, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/13/style/weed-edibles-pandemic.html.
[8] Daily electricity demand impacts from COVID-19 mitigation efforts differ by region, U.S. Energy Info. Admin. (May 7, 2020), https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43636 (last visited Sept. 17, 2020).
