The issue at hand: Food Insecurity
Algar Geothermal is focused on improving food security in Indigenous Communities by providing low cost spade heating solutions.
“The high rates of food insecurity among northern and Indigenous populations can be explained by several factors, such as the relative remoteness and isolation of their communities, financial hardship and socioeconomic inequities, the legacy of colonial policies, climate change and environmental dispossession and contamination.”
“Food insecurity has severe consequences on health and well‑being; it has, for instance, been linked to malnutrition, infections, chronic diseases, obesity, distress, social exclusion, depression and suicidal ideation.”
Source: Government of Canada Library of Parliament: Publication No. 2020-47-E
Outwardly our process is simple
“Heating is the second largest operational cost, accounting for more than 15% of the total operational cost required in Canadian Prairie’s greenhouses.”
Note: Simply circulating fluid does not produce adequate heat energy. Algar has patented innovations to improve heat energy recovery that are not illustrated here.
There are enough wells to make this a new business sector in Alberta and Western Canada
60,000 Alberta wells are suitable for space heating, 120,00 in Western Canada
There are many lower temperature wells that can be used for space heating .
Wells hot enough to produce electricity are too far from the grid to be practical.
Greenhouses are financially viable in northern climates
“Heating is the second largest operational cost, accounting for more than 15% of the total operational cost required in Canadian Prairie’s greenhouses.”
Algar Geothermal can reduce the heating costs of a greenhouse operation by 60%, substantially lowering operating costs.
…analysis indicates that the economic outcome from greenhouse production is very sensitive to the product price, and the product price at remote northern latitudes are relatively higher. So, the locally produced vegetable in remote northern Saskatchewan would be economically profitable and would create an opportunity for local employment.”
Studies show that a Greenhouse operation in northern communities could be profitable and provide good job opportunities. Other advantages not included in this study are: a guaranteed local market, community based labour, and a small marketing budget.
Source: Heating demand and economic feasibility analysis for year-round vegetable production in Canadian Prairies greenhouses Md Shamim Ahamed a, Huiqing Guo b,*, Lisa Taylor c, Karen Tanino c a Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh b Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Canada c Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Business Benefits of Algar Geothermal’s Solution
- Create a new business in your community:
- Increase financial stability and independence
- Create employment opportunities
- A way to grow food right in your community:
- Reduce the obstacles of remoteness and isolation
- A long term, low cost source of heat energy:
- Providing cost savings, increasing prosperity in the community
- Putting out of service oil and gas wells to work
- Respecting the earth
- Turn a left over liability to a valuable resource
- Reducing climate change
- Reducing past contamination
Social Benefits of Algar Geothermal’s Solution
- A purposeful community place for social interaction
- Reducing socio-economic inequities between remote communities and the rest of Canada
- Connecting elders and youth in a meaningful way
- Creating a relationship with mother earth in a respectful manner
- Improved physical health:
- Having plentiful fresh local produce will reduce the effects of malnutrition, and poor nutrition
- Improved sense of well being and mental health
- An increased sense of independence and food security will provide a reduction in distress and social exclusion, and other mental health issues
Improving Food Security in Indigenous Communities
Factors driving the trend towards food independence
- The need for local food production:
- Except for Ontario, all provinces and territories are chronically dependent on imported goods from Mexico and the United States
- Economics:
- Because of high heating costs, many greenhouses don’t operate over winter or are at risk of shutting down
- Increased fees and charges on fossil fuels:
- Increasing carbon charges will limit growth in greenhouse operations that heat with natural gas
- Need for all agricultural goods:
- Geothermal heat can be used for many food producing facilities including vegetables, fruit, aqua culture, beef, chicken, pork, egg and milk production
