England's first zero-carbon cannabis producer

Glass Pharms is proud to announce that it has raised £22 million (€26 million) to create the very first cannabis farm « »carbon-neutral". This 2.5-hectare indoor cultivation facility will be located in southern England. The cannabis produced on site will have a high concentration of THC, and intended for pharmaceutical companies.

To produce without polluting, the British company promises a «green electricity». Its production «transforms the »converts food waste into energy year-round and prevents the release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.". This is the principle of anaerobic digestion : The decomposition of organic matter produces biogas, specifically methane. This can then be converted into heat or electricity.

In addition, Glass Pharms ensures have a «significant solar energy production» on its website, which is expected to supply 40% of its electricity. It will be used primarily for LED lights, which consume a great deal of energy. Finally, the company promises that it will use every resource in «closed-circuit». For example, «The excess heat and carbon dioxide will be used to heat, cool, or nourish our cannabis plants».

Cannabis: a highly polluting form of agriculture

To verify all these claims, the British company says the production site will be certified. This will allow it to validate its «carbon-neutral» status. «We will create a secure supply chain, and at the same time, we are contributing to the UK’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050,», "The company's CEO expressed his satisfaction in the press release,".

On its website, Glass Pharms also takes a subtle jab at its competitors. «We don’t need to rely on offsets to claim we’re carbon neutral.». A reference to the Canadian giant Hexo, which promises to be carbon neutral… without changing its production model, but by planting trees.

Cannabis companies are gradually becoming aware of the environmental impact that they represent. Even though many people perceive the plant as «green,» its Industrial agriculture is highly polluting. A recent study from Colorado shows that Producing one gram of cannabis is equivalent to burning more than a liter of gasoline.