Possible Energy Team Project - TwinHarvest: Combining Urban Agriculture with GeoExchange District Energy

The intent of this project is to set up a community-owned Cooperative District Energy Utility that would help to sustain the economics of organic farming on the land above. Slim financial margins and crop loss risk in farming are a constant threat to sustainability, especially where heavily subsidized industrial farming and grocery distribution own the marketplace for produce sales.  Earnings from the utility would subsidize the farm and create a surplus for leaner years.  

The farm may be managed cooperatively through volunteer or paid labour, produce in lieu of payment, and paid educational programs.  It may also work with nearby private house plots or local private greenhouses to extend the growing season and diversity of produce.  The project would also certainly be eligible for issuing carbon credits, and that may also be a source of regular income.

The intent of this project is to use public land for a sustainable purpose with the land remaining in public hands under a community-based trust agreement and governance model.  The crop choices would be made locally based on local tastes, planted in locally-determined arrangements based on permaculture principles and community greenspace needs and values, and priced by local residents.  All economic surplus would return to the municipality or to the local community to create additional similar projects or to further other sustainable ventures.