Canaan is piloting a new approach to energy reuse by channeling waste heat from its Bitcoin mining operations into greenhouse agriculture in Canada, turning excess computing heat into a practical climate solution.

Under a new proof-of-concept announced this week, Canaan is partnering with Bitforest Investment on a 3-megawatt project in Manitoba. The initiative will run for an initial 24 months and focuses on recovering heat from Canaan’s Avalon mining systems to supplement greenhouse heating needs.

Turning mining heat into agricultural value

The pilot uses liquid-cooled mining servers to capture heat that would otherwise be wasted. That heat is then used to preheat water intake for greenhouses, lowering the overall energy required to maintain suitable growing conditions during Canada’s colder months. Bitforest’s Manitoba operations currently include tomato production, making consistent and affordable heating a key operational requirement.

Canaan plans to deploy 360 liquid-cooled computing units as part of the project. According to the company, the system reduces reliance on fossil-fuel boilers while offering a measurable way to integrate digital infrastructure with real-world energy needs.

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Building a scalable model for cold climates

Canaan Chair and CEO Nangeng Zhang said the project is intended to go beyond a single installation.

The goal, he explained, is to develop a data-driven and replicable model that can be scaled across agricultural operations in cold regions, demonstrating how computing infrastructure can actively contribute to energy efficiency rather than strain local grids.

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Part of a broader shift in Bitcoin mining

The greenhouse initiative reflects a wider trend across the Bitcoin mining sector as operators seek to lower costs, manage rising difficulty levels, and reduce environmental impact. Canaan itself launched a wind-powered mining facility in Texas in late 2025, while other miners have moved toward hydroelectric and solar-based operations in regions such as Ethiopia and the United States.

As mining difficulty continues to climb and margins tighten, projects that reuse energy outputs, such as waste heat recovery, are increasingly viewed as a way to improve both economic resilience and sustainability.

By integrating Bitcoin mining with food production, the Manitoba pilot highlights how energy-intensive digital industries may find new relevance within the low-carbon transition, especially in climates where heating demand is unavoidable.

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