The rising demand in the cannabis industry continuously drives energy consumption and increases utility costs for small, medium and large-scale growers. Small to medium commercial cannabis growing facilities require between 2,000 and 3,000 kWh to grow one pound of cannabis flower. This energy goes toward various applications, from lighting and dehumidification to irrigation and extraction.
Indoor cannabis cultivators use 50% to 60% of their energy for dehumidification to prevent mold and mildew growth, and 40% to 50% on lighting. Chillers are an efficient and energy-saving alternative to HVAC systems used for dehumidification in cannabis-growing facilities. They can reduce energy costs by up to 30% and benefit growers more than traditional HVAC units.
What to Know About Choosing a Chiller for Growing Cannabis
Installing a plant cultivation chiller in a cannabis growing facility helps maintain the required temperatures and humidity for optimal growth. These chillers keep your indoor or outdoor growing facilities cool, creating a fertile environment that promotes the growth of healthy plants with ripe trimmings.
Chillers are also necessary to maintain extraction agents at consistently low temperatures that ensure the production of high-quality cannabinoids. The cannabis extraction chiller connects to an industrial cannabis extractor to regulate the temperature during the extraction process.
The extraction chiller has a fluid pumping system and a refrigerant used to discharge heat from the extraction process to prevent damage or denaturing of cannabinoids like THC, CBD and CBN. The refrigerant circulates in a closed loop to ensure efficient use of extraction agents and precise temperature control.
Energy- and Cost-Saving Cannabis Chiller Options
Optimizing your cannabis chiller can lead to significant energy and cost savings when growing cannabis. Here are the top options for high-efficiency cannabis chiller design to make your cannabis business more eco-friendly.
- Evaporators: Getting bigger evaporators to increase heat removal capacity will ensure the chiller runs at maximum capacity and efficiency.
- Compressor: Replacing AC and DC fans with electronically commutated condenser fan motors boosts energy and cost savings because they require less energy to maintain the chiller’s refrigerant temperatures and reduce heat waste.
- Condenser: Ensuring proper airflow to the condenser with regular cleaning and maintenance could lead to significant energy savings.
- Expansion valve: Electronic expansion valves maintain consistent system pressure in any condition to stabilize refrigerant flow through the chiller’s evaporator.
Other options you can consider when looking to reduce energy utility costs include:
- Replacing a continual electric power source with a floating head pressure facilitates efficient chiller performance, leading to significant energy and cost savings.
- Heat reclamation options for your cannabis chiller capture and use excess heat, conserving energy and providing extra cooling for the compressor.
- A variable frequency drive fits into a compressor, enabling the chiller to perform more efficiently at part load conditions.
- Pairing the chiller with a fluid cooler allows ambient air to cool the refrigerant fluid, optimizing the system’s energy efficiency.
Reducing Indoor Operations Energy Costs
Optimizing energy costs while maintaining optimal room conditions in a cannabis facility may be challenging and expensive in the short term. However, you can try a few other easy-to-implement ways to reduce indoor cultivators’ general operation energy costs. Below are some of the most popular methods you can implement.
LED Lighting
LED lighting is the top choice when growing plants with electricity because it saves up to 50% of cannabis production energy costs. The cost savings come from LEDs’ ability to reduce energy waste by producing less heat, keeping your facility’s temperature and humidity levels stable.
LED lights also give you stricter lighting control, letting you customize the lighting conditions to your plants’ specific needs. While the initial cost of LED lighting is high, it boasts long-term cost savings and may be eligible for rebates due to its superior energy efficiency.
Implementing Efficient HVAC Systems
HVAC systems are a significant energy consumer in cannabis production plants. Rooftop HVAC systems reduce costs associated with treating crops for pests and diseases because they minimize the use of outdoor air, which typically introduces disease-causing pests and contaminants.
High-efficiency split ductless air conditioning and heat pump units are ideal for small growers with 4,000 to 6,000 square feet of canopy because they require minimal fan energy. Large-scale growers with more than 6,000 square feet of canopy are better off with water-cooled chillers because heat transfer is more effective, which enhances the systems’ energy efficiency.
Our Chiller Units
Smart Family of Cooling Products is a reliable manufacturer of cannabis chillers and air conditioners in customizable sizes to accommodate your facility’s needs. Our standard chiller sizes range from 10-ton chillers for small growers to 150-ton industrial-grade cannabis chillers suitable for large-scale producers. The chillers stabilize temperatures at your facility during the most crucial steps of the cannabis production process, including cultivation and extraction.
We stock different chiller units to offer variety and ensure you get the best fit for your needs.
- Water-cooled chillers remove heat from the system by pulling water into an evaporator and dispersing it through a cooling tower. They’re more energy-efficient and last longer than air-cooled chillers.
- Air-cooled chillers send ambient air over a condenser coil to discharge heat from the refrigerant into the surrounding air. Air-cooled chillers are easy to install and can sit outside a facility, saving space.
- Explosion-proof chillers have enhanced features, such as sealed wiring, to protect the system against explosion and operate safely.
- Low-temperature chillers ensure the system operates efficiently at under 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
We also have package air conditioning units between 80 and 120 tons to control temperature and humidity in growth facilities.
Get High-Quality Cannabis Chillers From Us
Smart Family of Cooling Products manufactures and supplies high-quality chillers for various industries, including cannabis, petrochemicals, agriculture and medical. We’ve been in the cooling business for nearly a century, and our experience has empowered us with the knowledge to guarantee customer satisfaction.
We can deliver in-stock products within 24 and 48 hours. Contact us for more information about our custom-built explosion-proof chillers or request your free cannabis cultivation or extraction chiller quote today.
