Cannabis News
How growers can maximize LED efficacy and energy efficiency
In the world of horticultural lighting, especially in cannabis cultivation, efficiency is the efficiency with which electrical energy is converted into usable light for the plant. But there’s a lot more to it than just a number on a spec sheet. Efficiency affects energy costs, performance and ultimately profitability.
“Energy costs are rising worldwide. Between the increased demand for electric vehicles, data centers, AI infrastructure and the overall electrification grid, growers will continue to feel the pressure of higher electricity bills,” says Fluence’s Daniel Pilsworth. “Lighting and HVAC together make up the largest portion of a grow facility’s operating expenses. Therefore, every photon counts.”
From efficiency gains to intelligent system design
A decade ago, the industry made the leap from high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures to LEDs. LEDs offered significant efficiency gains, reduced heat emission and improved environmental control. Growers can direct more power to productive light instead of waste heat, while easing the burden on HVAC systems. Over time, those first transitions led to significant savings, but the low-hanging fruit has already been reaped. “The diode technology inside LEDs has been refined tremendously, and the annual efficiency gains we once saw, 2-3% over a year, have slowed to 1% or less,” continues Daniel. “The industry has reached a plateau in raw diode efficiency. That shift has changed the conversation. It’s no longer just how efficient a single diode can be, but the entire system is designed to get the most out of every watt. The next leap in efficiency won’t come from the component level. It’s going to come from the way we apply light.”
© Fluence Bioengineering
The relationship between spectrum and efficiency
Spectrum plays a major role in determining the efficiency of appliances. Red LEDs are inherently more efficient than white LEDs because they emit light directly, while white LEDs rely on phosphor coatings that absorb energy during the conversion process. A fixture with a high red content can achieve 3.5 µmol/J or more, while broad whites can be around 2.7 µmol/J. That said, a high-red environment isn’t always the best choice. “Excessive red light can make it difficult for workers to work in the room, and more importantly, it increases the risk of photobleaching, those ‘white tipped’ eyes that reduce the overall quality and market value of flowers. Photobleaching can be strain-dependent and can be influenced by other environmental factors. The goal is always balance.”
Balancing efficiency and capital constraints
Cannabis remains a capital-constrained market. Because federal legalization has not yet occurred in the US, growers do not have access to the same low-cost financing as traditional agriculture. That makes every dollar of CapEx and OpEx count. “A higher-efficiency fixture carries a higher purchase price, so the right decision depends on your financial position, local energy rates, and available rebate programs. Some utilities directly tie incentive eligibility or payment value to the fixture’s efficiency, meaning higher-efficiency fixtures can offset much of the initial cost. In some cases, rebates can reach $1,000 or more. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for manufacturers. they must weigh it against long-term energy savings and incentive benefits.
Where will the next profits come from?
As diode efficiency skyrockets, lighting manufacturers are innovating elsewhere—how to deliver light, where to deliver it, and when. “At Fluence, our research program has been focused on optimizing the spectrum, intensity and placement of light to reduce energy use while improving performance and quality,” said Daniel. “Dynamic and tunable lighting is one of the most promising tools. By adjusting the spectral composition throughout the plant’s growth cycle, growers can use more red when it’s safe and pull back when the crop becomes sensitive to photobleaching. Our new RAPTR 2 high-light incorporates this flexibility. Its tunable T48 spectrum allows growers to vary it from 40 to 80 percent. 3.5 µmol/J efficiency maintaining precise environmental control, we combine this technology with horticultural support, our science team works directly with growers to design lighting schedules that offer maximum energy savings and plant health.
Beyond the ball: The “red sandwich” strategy
Another limitation of efficiency is under the canopy. “Our research has shown that downlighting provides much higher red content without the risk of photobleaching seen from overhead lighting. By splitting the photons, which we call our Red Sandwich Lighting Strategy, we can increase yield, uniformity and quality while further improving energy efficiency.
For more information:
fluency
fluence-led.com
The Somerset County Board of Zoning Appeals approved another special exception for a cannabis-growing facility after negotiations to purchase a previous location failed to reach an agreement.
Trilogy Group LLC was granted a license to grow by the Maryland Cannabis Association, with the condition that the business be operational by July 2026. Trilogy Group wants to operate on the county-owned, undeveloped industrial site on Revell’s Neck Road in Westover. However, this project time frame does not coincide with the license term.
In September 2025, the producer was approved for a special exception for a facility at 4630 Crisfield Highway. The existing building houses Jed’s Auto Refinishing, which would be renovated to accommodate the growing operations. When the sale of that property ultimately failed, Trilogy Group purchased the land at 4381 Crisfield Highway and obtained another special exemption.
Jesse Drewer, Somerset’s Director of Technical and Community Services, said: “They looked for a site they already owned before coming to us and working through the process. “They are landlords and developers all in one.”
Read more at WBOC
CPC of Missouri-Smithville, LLC and GF Saint Mary LLC, licensed cannabis growers and manufacturers in Missouri, filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Jackson County on behalf of independent wholesalers, alleging that Good Day Farm (GDF) and its network of conspiring companies and investors were harmed by an intentional, coordinated and unconstitutional scheme. The complaint alleges that the “GDF Cartel” illegally controls or manages the state’s share of dispensary licenses and uses that market power to manipulate Missouri’s $1.52 billion cannabis market for its own profit.
GDF and its co-conspirators allegedly built the cartel by arranging for third parties to invest in limited liability companies (LLCs) that then acquire additional dispensaries, cultivation and processing facilities, all of which are owned, operated or controlled by GDF. The result: The alleged cartel exercises effective control over at least 61 dispensaries, nearly triple the 22 allowed by the Missouri Constitution, with more than 10% of dispensary licenses “under substantially common control, ownership or management.” With 224 dispensaries currently licensed statewide, the alleged GDF Cartel controls more than one in four dispensary licenses in Missouri. But its influence is even greater, with alleged Cartel dispensaries accounting for more than 40% of wholesale cannabis in the state, giving it significant — and illegal — influence over all independent growers and manufacturers forced to sell through its network.
To avoid the Missouri Constitution’s 10% licensing limit and avoid regulatory oversight, the alleged cartel operates under five different brand names:
- Good Day Farm (21 dispensaries),
- CODES (20 dispensaries),
- Green light (10 dispensaries),
- Fresh Karma (6 dispensaries), and
- 3 Fifteen Primo (4 medications).
But they’re all part of a single, coordinated operation, the complaint says.
- Purchase cannabis products from non-Cartel wholesalers at artificially depressed prices;
- They supply their 61 dispensaries with the same products—mainly those produced by Cartel growers—significantly excluding products from independent wholesalers;
- Force independent drug wholesalers to purchase the Cartel’s finished products as a condition for their wholesale products to be placed on the Cartel’s drug store shelves; and
- Boycott non-cartel wholesalers who refuse to agree to anti-cartel demands.
Bob Hoffman, one of the attorneys leading the case, said: “The GDF Cartel is removing competition from the wholesale cannabis market and enriching itself with illegal profits through a counterproductive, clandestine business conspiracy. Missouri growers and manufacturers have been suffering under this scheme for a long time; many of them know something is wrong, but we don’t realize how the cartel has manipulated the market through this manipulation framework. Missourians to approve recreational cannabis in 2022 They voted for a fair and competitive market. Missouri licensed cannabis businesses that have suffered these practices should join us because they may be entitled to substantial damages.”
The complaint alleges the financial toll the Cartel has taken: Since the Cartel began illegal price-fixing, it has used its collective market power to lower wholesale prices by more than 20%, and continues to squeeze wholesalers and threaten the viability of their operations.
The unconstitutional complaint alleges that GDF knew its plan to build cartels could create legal risks for the company under the Constitution’s 10% licensing limit. The complaint quotes from a document provided by GDF to potential investors: “There can be no assurance that the Missouri Department of Cannabis Regulation will not dispute the number of marijuana dispensaries operated or supervised by the operator or its affiliates…”.
This action is brought on behalf of a putative class that includes all licensed independent wholesalers in Missouri that are not members of the alleged GDF Cartel for purposes of injunctive relief. Wholesalers who believe they have been financially harmed by the alleged Cartel’s practices should join the case because they may be entitled to substantial damages. The putative class is represented by the law firms of Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.
Source: Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Marijuana Retail Report
Cannabis growth facility eyes new spot for growth facility near Crisfield
Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Said Using Marijuana Can Give You ‘Man Boobs’
Class Action Lawsuit Claims ‘Cartel’ Manipulates Missouri Cannabis Industry
Centurion Pro Solutions Spannabis 2022
Federal Court Calls DEA’s Definition of Hemp, Ambiguous! Cannabis Coast to Coast with Alaina Pinto
🌱The Secret to Starting Seeds Successfully
THE MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY | DIRECTOR CRAIG PRYCE [new release film]
Marijuana Retail Report
Missouri cannabis growers file class action against Good Day Farm
“Our system can manage equipment across 10,000+ m² using just a few wires”
Florida Workshop to Discuss What Constitutes a ‘Cartoon’ in Hemp Packaging
Mazar-i-Sharif Hash Wednesday
Re-release of the full show of Cannabis Coast to Coast news. Republican Texas DA Fires Up vs. laws;
From Finance to Wellness: Brad Zerman’s Impactful Pivot
Weak Michigan Cannabis Sales Again in July – New Cannabis Ventures
DEA’s Cole Reverses His “priorities” ; Prohibitionists Dig In; Dead & Co Celebrates 60 years in SF
Your Cannabis Business: Consistent Filings Are Critical
Afghan Black Hash Wednesday
Curaleaf Q2 Revenue Falls 8% – New Cannabis Ventures
-
Cannabis News8 months ago“Our system can manage equipment across 10,000+ m² using just a few wires”
-
Florida9 months agoFlorida Workshop to Discuss What Constitutes a ‘Cartoon’ in Hemp Packaging
-
Video7 months agoMazar-i-Sharif Hash Wednesday
-
Video9 months agoRe-release of the full show of Cannabis Coast to Coast news. Republican Texas DA Fires Up vs. laws;
-
Video9 months agoFrom Finance to Wellness: Brad Zerman’s Impactful Pivot
-
aawh9 months agoWeak Michigan Cannabis Sales Again in July – New Cannabis Ventures
-
Video8 months agoDEA’s Cole Reverses His “priorities” ; Prohibitionists Dig In; Dead & Co Celebrates 60 years in SF
-
Best Practices9 months agoYour Cannabis Business: Consistent Filings Are Critical