04-22-2021
Washington County, MD

Hagerstown, Maryland, April 22, 2021 – Potomac Edison’s Energy Solutions for Business Program presented over $500,000 in incentives to Beaver Creek Farming, LLC for installing energy-efficient horticultural lighting and a high-efficiency dehumidification system for its indoor cannabis growing facility built in a converted warehouse.
 

Dehumidification is critical in indoor cannabis cultivation facilities to ensure good plant health and prevent disease. The new efficient system, which replaces a conventional design of stand-alone dehumidifiers with conventional rooftop air conditioners, mitigates the challenges of balancing indoor environment plant needs with cost-effective operational strategies. Horticultural LED lighting also helps reduce the cooling load compared to conventional high-pressure sodium grow lighting.

Incorporating energy efficiency is important for Beaver Creek Farming, where energy costs can represent up to 50% of their production costs. The incentives from Potomac Edison helped overcome the barrier of a large initial capital investment. The lighting and dehumidification upgrades are estimated to save the facility about $200,000 annually while maintaining plant quality, consistency and production volume.

“The upgrades allow us not only to save energy, but we were also able to pass along the savings to our customers by dropping our wholesale prices 10%,” said Grace Hyde, COO of Beaver Creek Farming. “Our community is important to us, and sustainability is a big part of our future focus.”

As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Beaver Creek Farming is building a 46,500-square-foot greenhouse that takes advantage of solar energy and uses much less lighting electricity for plant growth. The company plans to apply for additional incentives from Potomac Edison’s Energy Solutions for Business Program for the next project.