How can data centers help heat homes?

Data centers generate significant heat as a byproduct of their operations, which can be captured and reused to warm homes, swimming pools, and support various industrial and agricultural needs.

Which countries are leading in data center heat reuse?

Nordic countries, such as Denmark, have a long history of utilizing data center heat reuse through established heat networks.

Home / Technology / Data Centers Heat Homes: Green Energy's New Frontier

Data Centers Heat Homes: Green Energy's New Frontier

3 Feb

Summary

Data centers' waste heat can now warm homes, pools, and farms.
Global data center construction could reach $7 trillion by 2030.
Some data centers are being repurposed to heat communities.

Data Centers Heat Homes: Green Energy's New Frontier

Global spending on data centers is projected to reach $7 trillion by 2030, highlighting the immense growth in this sector. While these facilities are essential for digital services and the rise of AI, they also consume vast amounts of energy and produce significant heat.

This waste heat, often discarded, can be a valuable resource. Data centers can leverage this byproduct to heat homes, swimming pools, and even support aquaculture and industrial processes like wood-pellet production.

Innovative companies are already implementing this concept. For instance, a data facility in England heats a public swimming pool, and another planned project in Bradford will warm the equivalent of 10,000 homes.

Nordic countries like Denmark have long utilized such heat reuse strategies. Meta's data center in Odense, for example, warms thousands of homes through established heat networks.

Governments are beginning to encourage or mandate heat reuse. The UK is exploring ways to combine AI growth with heat network expansion, while the EU requires data centers over 1 MW to reuse heat where feasible.

Locating data centers near demand centers is crucial for efficient heat transfer. Despite logistical challenges, repurposing waste heat offers economic benefits for consumers and can improve community relations for data center developers.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.