A first of its kind project which will see waste heat from large computer data centres being used to heat more than 10,000 homes has been awarded £36 million in government support.
It is one of five green heating projects awarded a share of £65 million by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) as part of the Green Heat Network Fund.
The Old Oak Park Royal development in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham which will recycle waste heat from data centres to use in heating for the local community.
The heat network will connect 10,000 new homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space to a low-carbon energy source, which the government says will help keep bills low and contribute to the UK’s net zero drive.
Elsewhere more than £21 million has been awarded to a project which aims to fully decarbonise Lancaster University’s campus via a low-carbon heat network. This will supply heat to the campus using a large heat pump, powered by a new solar farm and existing wind turbine.
The full list of projects to receive support are:
- Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation will receive £36 million to construct a heat network using waste heat from data centres to provide heating to over 10,000 homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space.
- A new heat pump housing estate in Chilton Woods, Suffolk will see nearly a thousand homes and a primary school provided with low-carbon heating. The project, which has received £745,000, will also include a thermal store, meaning any excess energy generated from the system will be fed into the wider National Grid.
- The London Borough of Brent will receive nearly £5.2 million for the South Kilburn District Heat Network, supplying heat using air source heat pumps combined with back up gas boilers to 34 sites via a 2.79km pipe network, connecting 2,900 customers.
- Watford Community Housing (WCH), a not-for-profit housing association with approximately 5,700 homes, will receive £1.8 million of funding to replace an old gas district heating system with ground source and air source heat pumps. This will provide heat to 252 apartments across six blocks.
- Lancaster University will receive more than £21 million to fully decarbonise its campus with a low carbon energy centre. The centre will use air source heat pumps, thermal storage and electrical infrastructure works.
Energy security secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Innovative projects, like these announced today, are another example of why the UK is a world leader in cutting carbon emissions.
“We are investing in the technologies of the future so that families across the country will now be able to warm their homes with low-carbon, recycled heat – while creating thousands of new skilled jobs.”
Lord 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.
“The £65 million we’ve awarded today will help spread this success across the country, by rolling out innovative low-carbon heating to help to drive down energy bills and deliver our net zero goal.”
Speaking to Utility Week ahead of the announcement Lord Callanan was asked about the role of hydrogen in heating and specifically, if there definitely is going to be an announcement on the Redcar hydrogen village trial in the Autumn.
In response, the minister said: “Yes there is. We’re looking closely at it at the moment. There are obviously a lot of plusses and minuses to consider but we want to make a decision before Christmas.”