Data center heated greenhouses, a matter for enhanced food self-sufficiency in sub-arctic regions

• Main Authors: Ljungqvist, Hampus Markeby, Mattsson, Louise, Risberg, Mikael, Vesterlund, Mattias
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544220322763

This paper examines the possibility of increasing Northern Sweden’s degree of self-sufficiency in food supply, at the 65th latitude, by using a data center as a heating source for greenhouse production. A dynamic building energy simulation software was used to compute both the hourly exhaust air output from a 1 MW data center for one year and the corresponding heating demand for two different greenhouse sizes, 2000 m2 and 10 000 m2, and two different production scenarios. Partial year production, 1 Mars – 15 October, without grow lights and full-year production with grow lights. The study showed that 5.5–30.5% of the electrical input to a 1 MW data center could be recovered. The 2000 m2 greenhouse could operate almost entirely, 89.7–97.9%, on excess heat while only 50.0–61.5% of the 10 000 m2 greenhouse heating demand could be met for full- and partial-year production, respectively. Data center; Excess heat; Greenhouse production; Heat recovery; Waste heat;