Manitoba pilot tests using Bitcoin mining heat to warm greenhouses

A pilot project in Manitoba is testing whether heat produced by Bitcoin mining can be reused to warm greenhouses. The initiative brings together hardware maker and mining firm Canaan with Bitforest Investment and operates at about 3 megawatts of mining capacity as a 24-month proof of concept.

The system uses liquid-cooled Avalon-series servers — about 360 units — linked to a closed-loop heat-exchange setup that transfers heat into the greenhouse’s water-based heating infrastructure. Mining heat is used to preheat incoming water rather than fully replace existing boilers, and liquid cooling is cited as producing higher and more stable temperatures suitable for industrial heating applications.

Advocates say the approach could improve energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel use for greenhouse operators and lower operating costs for miners by repurposing continuous, predictable thermal output. The model is being considered alongside other uses for recovered heat, including home heating, industrial drying and district heating, but the article notes heat reuse does not eliminate mining’s energy footprint.

Canaan plans to gather operational data on heat capture efficiency, reliability of liquid-cooled systems, integration with existing heating equipment, maintenance complexity and overall cost savings to determine scalability.

Key Topics

Crypto, Bitcoin, Manitoba, Canaan, Bitforest Investment, Avalon Series