Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jul 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Bruce Finley

POWER PROBLEMS

Marijuana Bloats Denver's Energy Demand As City Tries to Lower Use

Surging electricity consumption by Colorado's booming marijuana 
industry is sabotaging Denver's push to use less energy - just as the 
White House perfects a Clean Power Plan to cut carbon pollution.

Citywide electricity use has been rising at the rate of 1.2 percent a 
year, and 45 percent of that increase comes from marijuanagrowing 
facilities, Denver officials said Wednesday.

Denver has a goal of capping energy use at 2012 levels. Electricity 
is a big part of that.

The latest Xcel Energy data show cannabis grow facilities statewide, 
the bulk of which are in Denver, used as much as 200 million kilowatt 
hours of electricity in 2014, utility officials said. City officials 
said 354 grow facilities in Denver used about 121 million kwh in 
2013, up from 86 million kwh at 351 facilities in 2012.

"Of course we want to grow economically. But as we do that, we'd like 
to save energy," city sustainability strategist Sonrisa Lucero said.

She and other Denver officials joined 30 business energy services and 
efficiency leaders seeking U.S. Department of Energy guidance 
Wednesday at a forum in Golden. Energy Undersecretary Franklin Orr 
said feds will promote best practices and provide technical help 
through an Office of Technology Transitions.

"It's a big issue for us," Lucero told Orr. "We really do need some 
assistance in finding some good technology."

Orr said he tried to figure out "how we would address that to Congress."

When the EPA later this summer unveils the Clean Power Plan for 
state-by-state carbon cuts and installation of energy-saving 
technology, utilities are expected to accelerate a shift away from 
coal-generated electricity toward cleaner sources, such as natural 
gas, wind and solar.

Until they can replace more coal-fired plants, the nation's utilities 
increasingly are trying to manage demand by, for example, offering 
rebates to customers who conserve electricity.

Colorado for years has been encouraging cuts in carbon emissions by 
requiring utilities to rely more on renewable sources.

Yet electricity use statewide has been increasing by 1 percent to 2 
percent a year, due in part to population growth, said Jeffrey 
Ackermann, director of the Colorado Energy Office.

The rising electricity demand means more opportunities to save money 
by using energy more efficiently, Ackermann said. "We're not going to 
compel people to reduce their usage. ... But we're going to try to 
bring efficiency into the conversation."

Colorado's marijuana sector, in particular, is growing rapidly, 
relying on electricity to run lights that stimulate plant growth, as 
well as air-conditioning and dehumidifiers. The lights emit heat, 
raising demand for air conditioning, which requires more electricity.

"How do you capture their attention long enough to say: Hey, if you 
make this investment now, it could pay back in the future," Ackermann 
said, referring to possibilities for better lights.

Southwest Energy Efficiency Project director Howard Geller said new 
adjustable light-emitting diode, or LED, lights have emerged that 
don't give off heat. Companies installing these wouldn't require so 
much air-cooling and could cut electricity use, Geller said.

Lighting companies are working with pot companies to test the 
potential for LED lamps to reduce electricity use without hurting 
plants, Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz said. Xcel is advising companies on 
how much electricity different lights use, he said.

Denver officials currently aren't considering energy-efficiency rules 
for the industry, said Elizabeth Babcock, manager of air, water and 
climate for the city. Marijuana-growing facilities in 2013 used 1.85 
percent of total electricity consumed in Denver.

"We see many opportunities in all sectors," Babcock said. "Energy 
efficiency lowers the cost of doing business, and there are lots of 
opportunities to cut energy waste in buildings, transportation and industry."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom