On November 3, Algar Geothermal relaunches its One Tomato campaign with a new focus: the next season of Alberta greenhouse growing.

The tomato at the heart of the campaign stands for a practical test. Could heat from an out-of-service oil and gas well help a local greenhouse grow through Alberta’s long winter? Could it support more reliable food production and give growers another way to manage exposure to changing energy prices?

Those are questions a pilot could begin to answer. To be clear, Algar has no active geothermal greenhouse project today. The tomato is not evidence of a completed Algar installation. It is a visible goal for our planned, pre-commercial southern Alberta pilot, which remains dependent on government and industry support.

That distinction matters. We believe a strong energy idea should be tested, measured and built with its users. One tomato can represent that ambition, while the work ahead turns it into evidence.

Why one tomato speaks to a bigger challenge

A single tomato may seem small beside the demands of food production and energy security. However, it connects two important parts of Alberta’s economy: growing food and supplying heat.

Greenhouse operators need reliable heat to maintain growing conditions through cold weather. Heating is a major operating consideration, and future energy price changes can affect planning. Geothermal heat for sustainable agriculture could offer growers another source of warmth and a potential hedge against future price volatility. It is not a promise of lower costs than natural gas today.

Food supply is part of the picture, too. The University of British Columbia’s Canada Food Flows project estimates that, on average, about half of the fresh vegetables eaten in Canada, excluding potatoes, are imported. This is a national estimate, not an Alberta-specific figure. The researchers based their estimates on food production and trade data from 2010 to 2022. Their overview of the project and findings explains how Canadian and international supply routes connect.

Local greenhouse production cannot remove all reliance on imports. Still, year-round cultivation could give communities and retailers another source of fresh produce. It could also support local businesses and meaningful work in growing, packing and distribution.

What the proposed system would do

Algar’s approach focuses on heat, not electricity. We aim to repurpose selected out-of-service oil and gas wells to bring geothermal heat to the surface for uses such as greenhouse heating.

In a greenhouse, that heat could help maintain conditions for crops beyond the outdoor growing season. A suitable well, a nearby heat user and a workable system design would all need careful assessment. Each site’s feasibility would depend on its well, heat resource, greenhouse needs and costs.

Importantly, geothermal heat would not need to replace every part of a greenhouse’s existing energy system. Natural gas may still have a role, including for CO₂ enrichment or backup. The goal is to explore how geothermal heating could complement existing systems and provide another option for growers.

For greenhouse operators, sustainable heating for greenhouses in Alberta is ultimately about resilience as well as emissions. A dependable heat source could help reduce exposure to future price swings. It may also help local businesses plan for the long term while continuing to use the systems that serve their operations.

One tomato, with an honest measure of progress

A campaign image can inspire, but a pilot must answer practical questions. Can an appropriate well be selected and safely repurposed? Can its heat match the needs of a greenhouse? Can the system integrate with existing operations? And can partners agree on a workable commercial path?

The planned southern Alberta pilot is intended to help explore those questions. It remains pre-commercial, and Algar has not yet started an active project. Progress will depend on a coordinated effort among well owners, greenhouse operators, governments, technical partners and local communities.

For us, the tomato is a useful measure because it keeps the purpose human and concrete. It is about the food people bring home, the growers building local businesses, and the skilled workers who could carry their energy expertise into new work. It is also about asking what unused infrastructure might contribute when partners find a sound way to put it to work.

Cooperation is part of the growing plan

Greenhouse heat is not only a technology challenge. It is also a cooperation challenge. Growers understand crop requirements and day-to-day operations. Well owners and energy workers bring knowledge of existing infrastructure. Governments and other partners could help support feasibility work and reduce the risk of a first pilot.

There are useful international examples of growers working together around shared heat. In the Netherlands’ Westland region, projects such as Trias Westland connect geothermal heat with greenhouse businesses. The region’s model is not identical to Algar’s proposed well-repurposing approach. However, it shows how collaboration around heat networks can support greenhouse users.

Alberta would need a model designed for its own resources, regulations and communities. Therefore, grower input should shape the work from the start. A greenhouse operator’s heating needs, crop plans and existing equipment must inform any site assessment.

The next season starts with practical steps

Algar’s planned pilot will need clear evidence and committed partners. The next steps could include:

• Engaging growers to understand heat needs, operating constraints and interest in year-round cultivation.
• Working with well owners and energy professionals to identify suitable sites and assess well conditions.
• Completing feasibility work on the heat resource, system design, integration, costs and local requirements.
• Building a partner group that can help advance a pre-commercial pilot with appropriate government and industry support.

Each step can help clarify what works, what needs adjustment and whether a local project can move forward. That is the purpose of a pilot: to replace assumptions with practical learning.

Our One Tomato campaign returns with that purpose in view. The tomato is a symbol of what we hope to demonstrate, not a claim that the demonstration is already complete. If the planned pilot advances, it could show how Alberta’s energy experience and greenhouse expertise might work together to support local food production.

A more resilient food system will take many people, careful planning and sound evidence. If you grow food, manage wells or want to explore local heat options, what would you want a pilot to test first?