UK wants more homes heated by waste heat from datacenters

The UK government is allocating £90 million ($119 million) to enhance heat networks that utilize excess heat energy from datacenters and factories to warm homes and businesses. This initiative aims to reach over 750,000 homes with cheaper heating, including a planned "mega heat project" that would supply 650,000 London homes with clean heat via a tunnel under the River Thames.

The £41 million ($54 million) portion of this funding is dedicated to the barge transportation system, which is anticipated to commence operations in 2028. However, there is uncertainty surrounding the final cost of the tunnel project, which is expected to be implemented in the 2030s. Critics argue that using waste heat from datacenters may not be as efficient as expected, as the temperature typically falls short of requirements for domestic heating, necessitating the use of energy-intensive heat pumps.

Despite these concerns, a recent survey revealed that 60 percent of British citizens support planning permission for datacenters only if they provide excess heat to nearby homes and businesses, and 62 percent would be more inclined to support such a project in their community if it committed to this.