Greenhouses a growing trend in the Arctic

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

This is very interesting and the beginning of something big.

This will be the experience we need to start bases on the moon or Mars.
You only have to build the greenhouses once then its nothing but growing food from then on. Good investment.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Ummm.. The article states that their "summer" is only 8-10 weeks long and that they had to truck-in topsoil. Also don't forget that it's dark six months of the year. You still have to heat and light them, especially in areas that don't have a "natural" growing season. Where exactly are they going to get the energy to do so?

Don't get me wrong. I think it's great they are trying this out, I'm just not convinced that it's a "good investment" or that it will lead anywhere near to becoming "self-sufficient".
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I am pretty sure that heating could be done pretty easily, especially at the arctic by using solar energy.

That still leaves the lighting though. Perhaps a few windmill towers could produce enough electricity to power HIDs, there is alot of wind up there, no.

Besides all of the drawbacks, the one MAJOR advantage is the access to abundant amounts of pure fresh water that is becoming more and more valuable each year.