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Chilean Patagonia is best known for its glaciers and mountains. But it is also home to Coyhaique, a city with the world’s sixth-worst air quality. This is because many homes burn wet firewood for heating. Furthermore, a short growing season means the region imports most of its vegetables. Both the burning of wet firewood and transporting vegetables are key factors in the area’s poor air quality.
To address these challenges, this project went underground, utilising the region’s rich geothermal activity.
Working closely with local stakeholders and residents, the project built greenhouses and a wood drying system, all of which run on geothermal energy. The greenhouses allow farmers to grow more vegetables year-round, while the wood dryer ensures that homes are heated with cleaner-burning dry wood.
As a result, not only has the region seen its annual CO2 emissions substantially decrease, residents are able to breath in clean air.
