Cannabis Energy Management

The Grand Rapids 2030 District is here to provide guidance for cannabis businesses to follow the City’s current zoning, Zero Carbon, and relicensing regulations through cannabis energy management research. Energy management is a metric for business success and community stewardship. The City of Grand Rapids has specific environmental and social expectations of these businesses. Cannabis businesses can utilize our tools and resources to navigate the local best practices and expectations.

Over the following months, we will offer guidance on the City of Grand Rapids’ rules and regulations and provide resources that will help you make the most of Michigan’s budding cannabis industry.

Do not get caught up in a vegetative state, make space on your calendars from 3-4 pm every Tuesday!

Widely confirmed throughout peer-reviewed research, the cannabis industry is highly energy-intensive. The energy-intensity of indoor cannabis agriculture combined with increasing market popularity prompts local energy suppliers to adapt quickly to expected energy demand increases. For example, 45% of Colorado’s electric growth load was to power the budding cannabis industry. If not properly regulated, the electric demands of cultivation facilities may cause energy shortages that affect local communities.

Before Operations Checklist:

1. Join the Grand Rapids 2030 District and report use on Energy Star Portfolio Manager

2. Create and submit an environmental plan:

   • Work with your utility to create a predictive energy load analysis

   • GHG emission expectations from operations

   • Energy & water efficiency measures plans

   • A solid waste management plan including reporting annual tons of each type

   • Demonstrate that facility’s ventilation, by-product, waste disposal, and water management (supply and disposal) doesn’t contaminate the air, water, or soil

   • Prove that at least 50% of total plant canopy area illuminated by fixtures with photosynthetic photon efficacy of at least 1.9 μmol/J when you begin operations

Before Relicensing after 18 Months of Operations: Update your Energy Star Portfolio Manager account with the utility bills since operations began Submit ASHRAE II building audit or better to the Office of Sustainability Annually update your sustainability plan with progress

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This is especially true with energy management. “Benchmarking” means measuring a building’s energy use and then comparing it to the average for similar buildings. It allows you to contextualize your building’s relative energy performance and helps identify opportunities to cut energy waste.

 

How to Benchmark with GR2030

1. Join the 2030district.org/grandrapids

2. Register or login with Energy Star Portfolio Manager

3. Add your properties

4. Share with data by adding GR2030 as contact, and sharing read-only access with your property

5. Enter energy, water, and optional waste & materials data as you receive your bills

6. View results and improve your performance

 

Other Resources

Grand Rapids Cannabis Energy Management Best Practices Guide 2020

City of Grand Rapids Marijuana Page

How to Create a Strong Sustainability Plan

Sample Self Energy Audit Form Downloadable