Solar greenhouse

The Thunder Bay area sees about 1,286 hours of sunlight throughout the year; yet the growing season here is very short.

Commercial greenhouses usually start planting in March with the growing season finished by the end of September. But one local entrepreneur is trying to extend that season to 365 days.

Leo Hunnakko, president of Hunnakko Enterprises Inc., has built a prototype greenhouse, powered by the sun, which will hopefully allow him to grow vegetables throughout the winter.

Named GH365 and located on North Sideroad in Nolalu, the 18-by-22-foot greenhouse is a feasibility study to determine if the project will allow vegetables to grow in the region’s cold climate. Hunnakko said if successful, the greenhouse could have many beneficial applications.

"If you imagine being able to grow nutritious food in this northern climate year round, it overcomes issues of food security," he said. "It overcomes issues of nutritionally excellent food materials, which of course vegetables are. You can see there can be tremendous beneficial repercussions from a greenhouse such as this."

Throughout December, January and February, the region sees an average of 340 hours of sunlight; this inspired Hunnakko to harness the power of the sun.

With two four by eight-foot solar panels, thermal blinds and a heat-retention wall, the greenhouse will function with minimal electrical requirements, Hunnakko said. It does have an electrical back up system for overcast days.

"I could see farmers using a greenhouse like this to extend their growing season," Hunnakko said, adding even architects and designers could possibly consider adding solar greenhouses to homes in the future.

"You would essentially have homes that are not just places where you play, live, work, eat but also where you grow much of what you eat," he said.

Hunnakko did his research before building the prototype that cost more than $45,000. He consulted with the University of Manitoba’s department of biosystems engineering and local greenhouse operators before starting construction on GH365 in June. The testing and monitoring phase of the project will run until Oct. 2010.

Hunnakko said he isn’t looking to build greenhouses commercially but sees himself working as a consultant, co-ordinating similar projects for remote communities Click here to submit a letter to the editor.