Pay once, use it three times.

The Datacenter Greenhouse is the Pend Oreille Innovation Center’s groundbreaking innovation for repurposing electronic thermal energy and using diverse technologies to help build food security, climate resilience, economic stability and educational opportunities. From its start in one of Washington state’s rural food deserts, the Datacenter Greenhouse will help bridge the gaps between our nation’s food supply and these nutritionally poor communities.

Unlike the classic greenhouse design which gathers energy only from photons, POIC’s new HMLE greenhouse design is optimized for capturing–and storing–heat from electronic and solar sources. Combining HMLE greenhouses with electronic thermal energy from computing makes it possible to grow nutrient-dense produce in food deserts while slashing water use, transportation emissions and food waste. Energy is paid for only once then used for computing, heating the greenhouse and storing energy in thermal mass “batteries”.

We are initiating a paradigm shift not only in food production but also in rural post-secondary education with our integrated workforce training microcredential program. The Pend Oreille Innovation Center’s greenhouse project brings together accredited academic programs alongside state-level departments, private businesses, a nationwide microcredentialing platform, and amazing volunteers, to have a triple impact on food production, education, and the economy. Ultimately, this model will be replicable in any struggling community – and we’ve already started replicating our success.