{
  "id": 10611405,
  "title": "UK government reveals £90m plan to warm homes with data center waste heat, with 750,000 homes getting cheaper heating",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/uk-government-reveals-90m-plan-to-warm-homes-with-data-center-waste",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-29T05:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/pro/uk-government-reveals-gbp90m-plan-to-warm-homes-with-data-center-waste-heat-with-750-000-homes-getting-cheaper-heating"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThis 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.\n\nLondon 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.\n\nThe £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 In Greater Manchester, projects in Gorton and Levenshulme will replace outdated heating systems in social housing blocks.\n\nThe UK's Minister for Local Energy and Jobs, Martin McCluskey, emphasized the positive impact of the project,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.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [
    "UK government invests £90 million in data center heat project",
    "750,000 homes to receive cheaper heating through initiative",
    "London to benefit with 650,000 homes and upgraded heat networks"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The UK government's £90 million investment in harnessing data center waste heat for home heating signifies a strategic shift towards leveraging urban infrastructure to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}