‘A glimpse into the future’: £65m invested to keep homes warm with waste heat from computers

The Government is investing £65million in a new low carbon heating initiative that will keep homes warm using waste heat from computers in what ministers have called a “glimpse into the future”.

The plan, announced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will fund five green energy projects across the UK.

As part of the new scheme, Hammersmith and Fulham and two other boroughs will get £36million to heat their homes using waste energy from data centres.

The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation – which covers the protected land at Wormwood Scrubs, in Scrubs Lane, Hammersmith – will be the first of its kind to recycle waste heat from large computer systems storing internet data to supply heating for the community.   

The heat network will connect 10,000 new homes and 250,000 metres squared of commercial space to a low-carbon energy source.

It is one of five green heating projects in London, Watford, Suffolk and Lancaster that have been given grants from the Green Heat Network Fund as the government attempts to deliver their promise to reach net zero by 2050.  

The Government’s transition to heat networks forms a major part of its carbon reduction commitment, with heating in buildings making up 30 per cent of all UK emissions.

Martin Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance, said: “Keeping homes warm with waste heat from technology is a glimpse into the future – and demonstrates just how innovative this country can be when it comes to reducing our carbon emissions.”

Pictured top: Generic picture of large computer centres storing data that will be used to heat Hammersmith’s homes (Picture: Baltic Servers/Wikimedia Commons)