Big Grower January 2023 - 19

BUSINESS
aren't any loads within the building, depending
on the time of year, the batteries could store the
energy. This especially makes sense based on
the rising cost of natural gas. We can store the
electricity in stationary batteries and then deploy
it during peak hours. This would reduce having to
pay peak prices for electricity. "
Wheatfield Gardens worked with its local
utility company, National Grid, on many of its
financial incentives and rebates, including LED
grow lights, environmental controls, and variable
frequency drives.
" Installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) for
our exhaust fans has definitely saved electricity
over time, but they are more expensive, " Elfstrum
says. " National Grid is helping us to calculate
the savings and then giving us an immediate
rebate to buy down the capital expense using the
calculated energy savings to help us afford the
VFDs. We don't need these, but it's the right thing
to do. That is the attitude that we have taken
toward these types of improvements in order to
be more sustainable. "
Wheatfield Gardens has also worked with its
natural gas provider, Natural Fuel Gas, to receive
rebate incentives for installing more efficient
boiler controls.
" The more sophisticated boiler control system,
called an Autoflame, enables our boilers to run
more efficiently by heating the water incrementally
based on the outside temperature, " Elfstrum says.
" The utility company calculated how much gas
would be saved over a given period of time and
then paid us a one-time rebate based on the gas
savings. The rebate was for $5,000, which was
about 25% of the total cost. "
REPLACING LEDS WITH LEDS
Wheatfield Gardens first installed LED grow
lights in 2018 and has since replaced some of
the lights from the initial installation with more
efficient fixtures.
" Prior to purchasing this facility in 2016, the
greenhouses never had a grow light, " Elfstrum
says. " Our commitment to efficiency and
sustainability has been from Day 1 so we have
embraced LEDs from the beginning.
" We have upgraded some of the LEDs that
we installed in 2018 that weren't particularly
efficient. We worked with National Grid
representatives explaining why we were buying
more efficient lights. The utility company
was able to calculate based on the new LEDs
efficiency rating how much electricity we would
save. We qualified for another rebate even
though we were replacing LEDs with LEDs. "
Wheatfield Gardens is planning to install more
LEDs when it expands its production of adult-use
cannabis. The company plans to apply for rebates
again for these additional lights.
WORKING WITH UTILITY
COMPANIES, STATE AGENCIES
Elfstrum advises growers not to take an
adversarial attitude when dealing with their
utility companies.
" Having open communication with the utility
companies and soliciting them to say we have
good ideas that could save money is the better
way to go, " he says. " Our bottom line is dictated
by the amount of energy we use. It is one of our
inputs, so finding ways to use fewer inputs with the
same results is the heart of farming philosophy.
Concrete actions and communication seem to be
working for us where we are trying to find ways to
use less and take advantage of any programs that
might be available from the utility companies to
reach our goals.
" Growers should reach out to the utility
companies to determine what incentive programs
are available. Also, there may be an opportunity
for custom grant or rebate programs that take
into account some of the equipment that is unique
to controlled environment agriculture. A utility
company may be able to establish an incentive
equation that takes into account the amount of
electricity or natural gas that will be saved by
buying more energy-efficient equipment. "
Elfstrum says he found out about the programs
offered by NYSERDA by visiting the agency's website
and looking at the industry events it sponsors.
" Being involved with industry organizations
like GLASE, I have learned a lot from working
with academics and the Cornell Cooperative
Extension, " he says. " Also, the local USDA office
representatives are a wealth of knowledge. You
have to know about the programs available in
order to take advantage of them. "
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer
in Fort Worth, Texas. He can be reached at
dkuack@gmail.com.
JANUARY 2023 19
Big Grower January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Grower January 2023
