In recent weeks, preliminary geotechnical work has begun on agricultural land located in the Chemin Petit-Saint-Jean sector in Lévis.
Located approximately one kilometer from QScale, five lots with a total area of just over 40 hectares will accommodate the future greenhouses heated by the company. Pipes will transport heat to the greenhouses.
Martin Bouchard has big ambitions with QScale. (Frédéric Matte/Archives Le Soleil)
To validate his project, the CEO of QScale called on a retired professor from Laval University, agronomist André Gosselin, a few years ago. Among other things, he created the first artificially lit greenhouses in the 1980s.
With the help of Genika, a specialized engineering firm, Mr. Gosselin studied several scenarios to utilize the heat released by the data center.
“Martin Bouchard is 15 years ahead. Data centers on the planet are cooled with hot air. He wanted to cool the computers with water. Recycling hot water is much easier.”
— André Gosselin, agronomist and retired professor from Laval University
“He was smart enough to buy farmland near QScale. It brought together all the winning conditions to carry out the greenest possible project,” adds the agronomist.
World-class project
Seduced by the vision of the founder of QScale, André Gosselin decided to get directly involved by purchasing agricultural land to build greenhouses.
For many years, André Gosselin has developed initiatives that help produce food all year round.
(Erick Labbé/Archives Le Soleil)
“I want to carry out one of the first projects where we use the energy of a data center. It’s absolutely incredible what we can do with this enormous amount of heat,” confides Mr. Gosselin.
“This world-class project will demonstrate to the entire planet that we can build data centers intelligently,” he continues.
In total, the QScale project will include eight construction phases. The first two are already operational, and work on phases three and four will begin shortly.
“Needs are exploding with artificial intelligence,” Mr. Bouchard declared in an interview with The Sun.
Twelve megawatts from Hydro-Québec
Producer of berries with his company Les Fraises de l’île d’Orléans, Mr. Gosselin wants to grow local products in Lévis 12 months a year. And thus reduce dependence on imports.
“I can grow anything: strawberries, berries, lettuce, tomatoes. High quality food with the greenest possible technologies.”
— André Gosselin, owner of Fraises de l’Île d’Orléans
Although greenhouses have multiplied in Quebec in recent years, the province remains behind Asia, Europe, and even Ontario.
Mr. Gosselin says he receives the support of all stakeholders in this project, including the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE).
However, the MEIE is slow to give approval to Hydro-Québec to provide Mr. Gosselin with the 12 megawatts he will need to light the greenhouses.
Since February 2023, the MEIE must approve any project that requires five megawatts or more of electricity.
Mr. Gosselin hopes to receive a response from the Minister of the Economy, Christine Fréchette, sooner rather than later.
“People will come from everywhere and they will say: ‘in Quebec, you not only have a very well designed center for future years, but also one that maximizes energy’,” he concludes.
