Scandinavian data center operator Digiplex and energy company Stockholm Exergi are preparing to use the heat generated by servers to heat 10,000 homes.
The two companies say the server heat reuse agreement is a world first.
How can this be done? A functioning data center will channel the hot air generated by the servers into the city’s district heating network.
Digiplex says a progressive data center should explore every way to reduce its carbon footprint, as data centers worldwide are responsible for 2% of the world’s annual CO2 emissions and 3% of global energy consumption.
“Every time we surf the web, watch a TV series or use the cloud, a process starts running in a data center,” said Digiplex CEO Gisle Eckhoff.
“This data center is an electrical source that consumes energy from fossil fuels and releases excess heat into the atmosphere. So we are also contributing to climate change.”.
“This collaboration with Stockholm Exergi is a big step, which could allow residents’ digital activity to contribute to heating their homes.”.
Around 90% of all buildings in Stockholm are connected to the district heating network, making the Swedish capital one of the few cities in the world where it is possible to reuse heat from data centers.
The agreement is part of Stockholm’s ambitious plans for green businesses that make smarter use of technology.
Stockholm Mayor Karin Wanngård said that digitalization should go hand in hand with the development of environmental technology.
“Using smart technological solutions to utilize data center heat for the city’s heating needs is part of the environmental goal to reduce fossil fuels as much as possible by 2040,” Wanngård said.
“I am determined to make Stockholm a huge hub for sustainable data centers.”
