Catenaa, Sunday, January 11, 2026-Bitcoin mining hardware manufacturer Canaan has launched a pilot project in Manitoba, Canada, using waste heat from liquid-cooled mining servers to warm a commercial tomato greenhouse.
The 3 MW initiative, in partnership with Bitforest Investment, deploys 360 Avalon A1566HA-460T servers across four containerized cooling modules.
Heat generated by the mining equipment will be captured through a closed-loop system and used to preheat water for the greenhouse’s electric boilers.
Canaan estimates up to 90% of the energy consumed by the servers could be transferred for heating, though performance metrics will be confirmed once fully operational.
The project aims to evaluate heat recovery efficiency, system stability, and maintenance requirements under real-world conditions.
By integrating heat capture directly into the greenhouse’s boiler loop, the setup avoids the need for industrial cooling towers and could lower both capital and operational costs.
Total in-all power costs, including electricity and maintenance, are roughly $0.035 per kilowatt-hour, with potential savings if Bitforest participates in demand-response programs or sells excess power back to the grid.
Canaan sees the program as part of a broader strategy to create multi-purpose, energy-efficient computing infrastructure.
Last year, the company released the Avalon Mini 3, a home heater and Bitcoin miner hybrid, following similar industry developments by Heatbit and other third-party adaptations of Bitmain’s Antminer units.
The Manitoba greenhouse pilot represents an effort to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy utilization by repurposing mining heat for practical agricultural applications in colder climates.
