Canaan aims to convert the heat generated by Bitcoin mining into a heating source for tomato cultivation.
A new initiative announced by Canaan, a hardware manufacturer and mining operator, seeks to reuse the heat produced by mining machines to support agricultural activities in Canadian greenhouses.
The company announced a partnership with Bitforest Investment in the province of Manitoba to develop a 3-megawatt pilot program. The project involves recovering the heat generated by Avalon A1566HA-460T machines and using it as a supplementary energy source for greenhouse operations.
The 24-month pilot program leverages Canaan’s liquid-cooling systems to capture thermal energy and preheat the water feeding the greenhouses’ electric boilers, reducing overall energy demand.
Nangeng Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Canaan, explained that the goal is not simply to install equipment for a single project, but to create a data-driven, replicable model. The system will make it possible to measure, model, and scale heat recovery for agricultural use in cold climates.
The initiative enables the integration of Bitforest’s greenhouses by recycling heat from miners that would otherwise be wasted, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-powered boilers. Canaan will install a system consisting of 360 liquid-cooled units. Bitforest’s operations in Manitoba focus on tomato production.
Canaan is not the only company in the sector pursuing environmentally friendly solutions. Last November, Phoenix Group announced a 30-megawatt facility in Ethiopia powered by hydroelectric energy.
