Exactly this. A large proportion of the energy used by data centers ends up as heat, it shouldn’t just be dumped.
I’ve read of data centers being used to heat community swimming pools.
A thought I just had was if they are using mains water to cool the data center, what stops it still being used for domestic use? It would just be warm water, which in many cases would be a benefit.
Leeds Pipes already provides heating for thousands of people from the local incinerator.
Surely something could be done with district heating networks where they collect excess heat from server farms before topping the temperature up at the incinerator?
Exactly this. A large proportion of the energy used by data centers ends up as heat, it shouldn’t just be dumped. I’ve read of data centers being used to heat community swimming pools. A thought I just had was if they are using mains water to cool the data center, what stops it still being used for domestic use? It would just be warm water, which in many cases would be a benefit.
Leeds Pipes already provides heating for thousands of people from the local incinerator.
Surely something could be done with district heating networks where they collect excess heat from server farms before topping the temperature up at the incinerator?