UK government reveals £90m plan to warm homes with data center waste heat, with 750,000 homes getting cheaper heating
Waste heat from data centers could generate cheaper hot water as part of a “clean heat” initiative in the UK, which also involves piping hot water for Londoners through a tunnel under the Thames.
The UK government has allocated £90 million to a project that aims to utilize excess heat from data centers in London to provide cheaper heating for 750,000 homes. Known as the "mega heat project," this initiative will deliver "clean heat" to the city. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is financing the construction of new heat networks and the enhancement of existing infrastructure to pipe hot water from data centers across London, including under the Thames.
This project is part of a broader national effort to reduce heating bills, with other cities like Manchester, Newport, Abergavenny, Solihull, and Bradford in Wales and Yorkshire also set to benefit. Similar waste-heat projects have been operational in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Berlin for several decades.
London is set to receive 650,000 homes with reduced heating costs through this initiative. However, the project has faced criticism for the use of "electric barges" to transport hot water 25 kilometers along the River Thames. Despite this, the mega heat project in London is expected to generate £5 billion in investment, creating jobs in areas such as river transport, construction, and engineering.
The £41 million portion of the funding will go towards the capital, while an additional £9.7 million will be invested in extending the city's original heat network. Heat networks were once prevalent in the industrial north during the mid-20th century, with Bradford's network starting up in 2024. In Greater Manchester, projects in Gorton and Levenshulme will replace outdated heating systems in social housing blocks.
The UK's Minister for Local Energy and Jobs, Martin McCluskey, emphasized the positive impact of the project, stating that clean power and clean heat benefits communities across the country. He highlighted that building the necessary infrastructure will reindustrialize the UK and deploy advanced energy technology, providing families with lower bills, employment opportunities, and enhanced energy security.
Those already utilizing heat networks will also benefit from upgraded, efficient systems that deliver high-quality, low-cost, and reliable heating.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
