Solar trailer helps Alaskans grow fresh food off-grid.

ALASKA, July 5, 2017 - Residents of Kotzebue, Alaska, can hydroponically grow fresh vegetables in sub-zero temperatures thanks to the first off-grid photovoltaic (PV) solar water-heating solution. Next Generation Energy’s Sun Bandit trailer differs from gas-powered hydroponic trailers that have been employed in the area by using solar power. The Solar Hydroponic Trailer was created by Ingemar Mathiasson, Kotzebue energy coordinator, and Mark Houston, founder of The Comforts of Home LLC. “We are collecting solar energy, converting it to heat, and running it through a glycol-based radiant floor and wall panel that provides all of the heat we need to grow a bounty of fresh produce in often dark, bitter-cold conditions for about nine months of the year,” Houston said. More information is available here.