Soaring electricity prices in Maine are costing a man $300 a month to maintain his indoor garden
Corey Pelletier fell in love with growing plants last spring.
It started with just a few plants on his windowsill, but quickly overtook his basement, where he established year-round growing habitat for dozens of flowering species, including several tropical varieties. .
But lately, Pelletier’s newly found green thumb has become more expensive as energy prices continue to rise in the state.
Maine residents and business owners have felt the pinch of soaring energy costs in recent months, and people who grow plants and vegetables indoors are another victim of that spike. costs. Price increases for gasoline, diesel, heating oil, natural gas, propane and electricity have been steady since the start of the year, essential fuels for indoor plants that depend on the artificial lighting and constant heat.
Electricity rates in Maine are the highest in a decade. Fuel oil is almost 93% more expensive than a year ago. Natural gas and propane are not far behind.
For Pelletier, it means adding hundreds of dollars a month to pursue his new passion.
“When I moved my plants into the basement, I realized they needed more heat,” Pelletier said. “I opened up furnace ducts and added space heaters and right away my heating costs went up 75% and my little project was costing me $300 a month.”
Todd Bangs, owner of Windswept Gardens in Bangor, said he has seen a huge increase in his costs to keep his six greenhouses warm enough for his flower growth.
“It’s now costing us two to three times what it cost us last year in operating expenses. [and] it’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Bangs said. “We are managing this as best we can and trying to keep our prices stable.”
Pelletier said his bills should go down as the weather gets warmer and he can move some of his plants outside. But he worries about his succulents and tropical plants that need more heat than a Maine summer can provide.
Beyond that, it’s making plans to be more energy efficient.
Pelletier is currently using a special grow tent with lights he got from a woman who had used it to grow marijuana indoors. He said moving it from the basement to a warmer room upstairs should reduce the amount of energy needed to run it.
Bangs is doing what he can to save on his own heating costs in his greenhouses where he estimates he has used 1,500 gallons of fuel oil and 2,000 gallons of propane over the past year.
“Greenhouses are notorious for not being energy efficient,” Bangs said. “You’re basically heating the outside.”
To help reduce these costs, Bangs is converting all of its heating systems to run on slightly less expensive propane.
Pelletier plans to further reduce costs by switching to energy-efficient LED lighting for its grow lights. And although he intends to downsize, he doesn’t want to give up his hobby.
“Even if I grew produce to sell, I couldn’t justify my electricity bill,” Pelletier said. “I can’t see myself going through another winter like this.”