F E A T U R E

showcases the feasibility of integrating data centres into the fabric of everyday living for mutual environmental and societal benefits , setting a positive precedent for other regions .

“ The utilisation of low-grade heat in UK housing within district heating networks is currently underappreciated and underutilised ,” added Bishop . “ To optimise energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions , it is imperative that the government prioritises retrofitting older homes and designing newer housing with the capacity to harness low-grade heat within district heating networks . This would spearhead a transformative shift towards more sustainable communities .”

Agriculture is one sector that stands to benefit from heat reuse . Greenhouses need consistent heat year-round . Heat exported from data centres is an ideal substitute for traditional methods of warming with a minimal impact on the environment . Another exciting application is district heating where the heat is transported to residential , leisure and commercial buildings for heating spaces and hot water .

Tom Bishop , Director of Project Management , Concert

For example , in 2023 the City of Eschborn and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ( GIZ ) GmbH in Germany signed an agreement with nLighten to reuse the heat exported from its Edge data centre – by constructing an 800 metre supply line . The recovered heat will warm several city buildings , including the city ’ s public swimming pool complex , contributing positively to the local energy infrastructure . Pioneering initiatives such as this offer great future potential for nLighten with its rapidly expanding regional Edge data centre network in Europe , located near the main economic centres of each country .

Key considerations

The deployment of heat exchange networks for heat export and re-use typically requires collaboration between the data centre owners , local authorities and sometimes energy providers . Moreover , the implementation of heat reuse projects involves technical , economic and regulatory challenges . These include the appropriate infrastructure to transport the heat and the proximity and scale of potential heat users to achieve a viable heat reuse system . Sometimes heavy capital investment is required so a long-term operating model is necessary to achieve desirable unit prices . The data centre itself must also be well occupied to ensure heat production .

As Edge data centres continue to grow in number , their locality presents a unique opportunity for community emissions reduction by offsetting other forms of heating – which may use fossil fuels . The smaller size of Edge data centres often makes their volume of heat more viable for use compared to very large central data centres of high capacity . �

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