Mj Growers Goin Green!!!

URL: hMPp://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/11/26/authorities-marijuana-growers-using-solar-power/






ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Illegal marijuana growers are increasingly using solar power to operate large-scale operations in an attempt to remain off the grid and avoid detection from law enforcement agents, authorities said.

In isolated regions of the country, law enforcement agencies say they are finding more growers going green and trying to be self-sufficient by drawing power directly from the sun.

New Mexico State Police recently busted up a marijuana operation around the Four Corners region that used solar panels to pump water. And authorities in California have stepped up enforcement against solar panel thefts from vineyards that they believe were headed to illegal growers.

“We’re definitely seeing more and more of it,” said New Mexico State Police Lt. Robert McDonald. “I think since the cartels down in Mexico are now having such a hard time getting their product up here that some growers are trying to grow it themselves and to (stop) us from finding them by using solar. It definitely makes it harder.”

During last month’s bust in New Mexico, agents raided a solar-operated facility and seized around 250 marijuana plants that were between six- to eight-feet tall in an isolated area of Rio Arriba County.

In 2010, police in Socorro, N.M., pulled more than 1,500 plants from three locations in a marijuana operation that detectives called “very elaborate and sophisticated.” Police said the operation use solar panels, water pumps, batteries and hundreds of yards of hose that functioned on timers.

The use of expensive solar panels allows illegal marijuana operations to avoid the need for massive power consumption from nearby power companies, tipping off local and federal authorities, investigators say.
The use also has sparked the demand of solar panels that has resulted in thefts of panels from homes and businesses.

In California’s Napa Valley, wineries and vineyards two years ago reported a rash of solar panel thefts that authorities believe were linked to a ring that sold the panels to illegal growers.

Michael Honig, president of Honig Vineyard and Winery in Rutherford, Calif., said after installing 819 solar panels, thieves took off with around 40 panels. “Around 10 to 11 wineries were hit,” Honig said. “So was a school.”

The heists prompted stepped up enforcement from the Napa Valley Sheriff’s Department who increased night patrols and strings, said Deputy Sheriff Jon Thompson.

“Here we had folks trying to do the right thing and go green and they were getting hit,” said Thompson. “It hurt, especially when it’s $17,000 a panel.”

A string eventually nabbed three men who Thompson said were part of a ring that resold the panels.

“It’s hard to say for sure but we think they were going directly to growers,” said Thompson.

Looks like we need cheaper panels!!))

Thats a very interesting read 7, thanks for posting.

Seems like being off the grid and under the cover of a roof solves 2 big problems on a major grow, or any grow for that matter.
As solar energy gets more popular, I think that the solar panels will create their own camouflage just by being so numerous.

that is intresting now i am wondering what a solar set up would cost for a small grow .

thieves are thieves---if something has a value---someone will try to steal it---i did the math a couple years back for a solar grow and there was no way the solar panels could do it---just cause a couple peeps were supplementing their grow with some panels---does not mean they were avoiding massive power bills---it did not take them off the grid---if they were off the grid they were were also running generators---it would take about an acre of panals to run 100sf---how's an acre of panels gonna be incognito---we are a slave to the power company---this article is written for leo and just trying to scare peeps who use alot of power---pay your bill and the power company will gladly sell it to you