Cumberland Joins Geothermal Food Project

Cumberland County Council has agreed to take part in a geothermal feasibility study in Springhill.

While this might be the tenth study of the use of water trapped underground in the community’s former coal shafts, this effort includes a hands on application.

Three partners — the municipality, the Springhill Campus of the NSCC, and the provincial department of Natural Resources and Renewables — will use the energy now stored in the underground water to heat and cool a commercial greenhouse.

The project addresses a number of goals, including proof of commercial viability, fresh vegetables for school lunch programs, and new approaches to local food security.

Cumberland will invest $40 thousand in the project which will be led by the Community College.

Mayor Murray Scott says there have been lots of studies but this may be the first to put geothermal technology to a tangible test. This will put the underground energy to work to produce edible crops.

If the project is successful, officials hope the concept can be scaled commercially and lead to large scale food production in Cumberland.

It may also lead to other worthwhile ventures using the long trapped and renewable warm water supply, even electrical generation.

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