Comments on: Clever Rocky Mountain Greenhouses Give Major Season Extension

By: Øyvind Holmstad

Øyvind Holmstad — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:52:07 +0000

- Drilling 10,000 m deep geothermal wells: http://www.worldenergymedia.com/News18298_Drilling-10000-m-deep-geothermal-wells.htm

- Rock Energy: http://www.rockenergy.no/index.php

- Radio program about geothermal energy (in Norwegian language): http://nl.nrk.no/podkast/aps/71/nrk_verdt_aa_vite_2010-1012-0235_634224909000000000.mp3

By: Øyvind Holmstad

Øyvind Holmstad — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:04:18 +0000

Warm Air Stored in the Summer Will Heat a Swiss School in the Winter: http://www.ecogeek.org/component/content/article/3230

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:51:06 +0000

It was really inspiring to visit Jerome and see what he has achieved. The implications are really amazing for areas that get enough light through the winter to keep things growing. In the far north where the amount of winter light becomes a limiting factor I am very interested to see how much the growing season can be extended…. without adding lights or other energy consumptive measures that overbalance the gains. But just think of all those saunas connected to a greenhouse!

By: Øyvind Holmstad

Øyvind Holmstad — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:42:58 +0000

See this link (in Scandinavian language):

http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/article3788268.ece

This guy, Per Vatne, has developed a technique to drill 10000 meters long holes in the ground, down to 15 cm in diameter. The interesting thing is that he can also drill deep u-shaped holes to harvest thermal energy from the ground.

I see a future here where we can combine energy from the Earth with energy from the Sun. This way we could be able to produce all our food here in Scandinavia without significant amounts of CO2.

By: Øyvind Holmstad

Øyvind Holmstad — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:38:58 +0000

According to permaculture principle nr. 2, catch & store energy: http://permacultureprinciples.com/principle_2.php , I think nobody has achieved more than Jerome. Congratulations with your greate work!

By: Mari Korhonen

Mari Korhonen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:17:16 +0000

I think in places like Finland (where I’m from) and Norway this kind of integrated greenhouse designs can at least remarkably extend the growing season and for example reduce need of heating the buildings, even if we can’t make it all the way to the subtropics with our limitations of available sunlight and long lasting cold periods.

Jerome is coming to Finland to do a workshop on permaculture and greenhouse design this autumn, and hopefully we can get some pioneering projects happening to test how far we can go!

By: Øyvind Holmstad

Øyvind Holmstad — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:49:22 +0000

Marijtje, Colorado is as far south as Spain. But I’m sure with this system you can stretch the time significantly for when the CO2 accounting comes in favour for growing vegetables here in Norway.

Unfortunately we do now use so much electrisity during the coldest time of winter that we have to import not renewable energy.

By: Arian I.

Arian I. — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:54:09 +0000

Hmm. I once heard that in Iceland there exist greenhouses whose temperature is regulated with geothermal steam. I wonder if similar greenhouses exist in other countries. Also, it might be possible to produce the required amount of water vapor in a greenhouse, even in places where geothermal steam is not available. For instance, a greenhouse wherein steam is generated by an electrical boiler element can be employed for small-scale production of bananas and other plants that like muggy conditions.

By: Marijtje Mulder

Marijtje Mulder — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:55:51 +0000

@Oyvind:
In Norway you need to add light. As long as you use green energy for lighting, I don’t see an argument against greenhouses.

By: Gabriel Bridges

Gabriel Bridges — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 06:05:29 +0000

Great greenhouses have given me much inspiration for extending seasons, and growing things out of region. Jerome’s spot is amazing. The subterranean heating and cooling seems to work well and I will be doing a workshop in fall 2010 in California.
contact 1Lovecreekpermaculture@gmail.com.