In the world of hydroponic gardening, many of the biggest innovations come from the growers who focus on what we call “high-value crops.” Early on in the hydroponic gardening revolution, these high-value gardeners found that their electricity bills were one of their biggest costs. Drug enforcement officials discovered this, too, and investigators often found that illegal operations could be mapped by looking for out-of-place electricity use.
Eventually, growers of all kinds sought new ways to reduce their massive energy bills. Their primary focus turned to finding lights that were more energy-efficient, while still providing the nutrients plants need. Some success has been achieved, but running lights is still one of the most expensive parts of any hydroponic operations – high-value crop or otherwise.
Pumps and other machines used in hydroponic gardening consume relatively little electricity when compared to lighting costs. Still, even the least-used devices will add to utility bills.
Ultimately, the consumer inherits the high electricity costs of hydroponic gardening. In fact, high electricity costs are one of the main reasons why hydroponic crops are so expensive in retail stores.
