Turning Data Centre Waste Heat into Food Production: An Evidence-Based Framework for Greenhouse Integration in Cold-Climate Communities

This paper examines the use of recovered data centre heat for controlled-environment crop production in cold-climate communities. Data centres convert most of the electricity they use into heat, while greenhouses in northern regions require substantial heating for year-round crop production. The paper reviews evidence on data centre waste-heat recovery, heat pumps, thermal storage, liquid cooling, greenhouse heating, industrial symbiosis, and local food production. It proposes an integrated system in which heat from a data centre is captured, transferred through a heat exchanger, upgraded when necessary with a heat pump, stored, and delivered to a nearby greenhouse. Published research shows that recovered data centre heat can provide a meaningful share of greenhouse heating demand under suitable conditions. Results depend on climate, facility distance, cooling technology, greenhouse size, crop requirements, electricity source, heat-pump performance, and the fuel being replaced. The paper also examines climate benefits, food security, economic feasibility, technical risks, and possible applications in remote and space-based closed-loop systems. It recommends a phased demonstration process based on hourly energy data, life-cycle assessment, financial modeling, pilot testing, and public reporting. This manuscript is published as a preprint and evidence-based conceptual scientific paper. It has not yet undergone formal peer review.