The Total Cost of Cannabis Lighting Ownership

Lighting is a critical piece of cannabis industry, and LED lighting is revolutionizing bloom room lighting. Based on AEssenseGrows research, the US bloom light market opportunity (new installation + replacement) looks like this:

• $41M in 2017
• $76M in 2018
• $112M in 2023

As expenditures on grow lights mushrooms, cannabis entrepreneurs would fare well to do their homework before investing in a lighting selection (LED or HPS). They’ll find that, in many cases, buying pricier lights now will save money in the long run through energy savings. Or that they can save money by investing in a lighting system with automation integrated, rather than installing automation at a later date.

Marijuana businesses need to brush up on their science to understand the specific needs of their plant (PPFD), and they’ll want to refresh their math skills to understand the impact of the cannabis lighting on their bottom line (total cost of ownership). Their bloom light investment and operating cost will depend on:

Investment (capex)
• Grow lights
• Electrical wiring
• Air conditioning (to remove heat)
• Automation accessories

Operating Cost (opex)
• Energy consumption by grow lights
• Energy consumption by air conditioning

Maintenance Cost (opex)
• Consumables (e.g. bulbs)
• Labor (e.g. replacing bulbs)

In short, cannabis lighting is an important ingredient for both your investment and your ongoing profitability in your cannabis enterprise. You can get a handle on what all these variables ultimately mean to your pocketbook by using a cost calculator, like the one at AEssenseGrows.com.

And you can download a white paper here on “The Total Cost of Lighting Ownership.”

By: Phil Gibson, VP of Marketing at AEssenseGrows