Energy Modeling and Techno-Economic Feasibility Analysis of Greenhouses for Tomato Cultivation Utilizing the Waste Heat of Cryptocurrency Miners

Nima Asgari, Matthew T. McDonald and Joshua Pearce
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Nima Asgari: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada
Matthew T. McDonald: Ivey Business School, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-42

Abstract: Greenhouses extend growing seasons in upper latitudes to provide fresh, healthy food. Costs associated with carbon-emission-intensive natural gas heating, however, limit greenhouse applications and scaling. One approach to reducing greenhouse heating costs is electrification by using waste heat from cryptocurrency miners. To probe this potential, a new quasi-steady state thermal model is developed to simulate the thermal interaction between a greenhouse and the environment, thereby estimating the heating and cooling demands of the greenhouse. A cryptocurrency mining system was experimentally evaluated for heating potential. Using these experimental values, the new thermal model was applied to the waste heat of the three cryptocurrency mining systems (1, 50, and 408 miners) for optimally sized greenhouses in six locations in Canada and the U.S.: Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, California, Texas, and New York. A comprehensive parametric study was then used to analyze the effect of various parameters (air exchange rate, planting area, lighting allowance factor, and photoperiod) on the thermal demands and optimal sizing of greenhouses. Using waste heat from cryptocurrency mining was found to be economically profitable to offset natural gas heating depending on the utility rates and Bitcoin value in a wide range of scenarios.

Keywords: waste heat recovery; greenhouse; cryptocurrency mining; technoeconomics; server farms; sustainable food (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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