Canadian Pilot Project Tests Bitcoin Mining Heat Recovery for Greenhouse Farming

A two-year pilot program in Manitoba, Canada, is demonstrating how thermal energy from Bitcoin mining can be redirected to warm agricultural greenhouses rather than being vented as waste.

The initiative pairs hardware manufacturer Canaan with Bitforest Investment to operate approximately 360 liquid-cooled mining servers at 3 megawatts capacity. The system captures heat through a closed-loop exchange mechanism that preheats water for greenhouse heating infrastructure, potentially reducing reliance on conventional boilers during winter months.

Liquid cooling systems capture thermal energy at higher and more consistent temperatures compared to traditional air-cooled equipment, making the recovered heat suitable for industrial applications. Greenhouses require continuous heating for temperature-sensitive crops, creating operational alignment with Bitcoin mining's constant heat output.

The project aims to collect performance data on heat capture efficiency, system reliability, and cost savings to determine whether the model can scale to larger agricultural or industrial settings in cold-climate regions. Similar concepts are being explored in northern U.S. states and parts of Europe.

While heat reuse improves energy efficiency, the approach faces limitations including higher upfront costs for liquid-cooling infrastructure, the need for close proximity between mining facilities and heat users, and dependence on steady heating demand to justify investment. The environmental benefits remain tied to the underlying electricity source powering mining operations.