Thousands of homes will be kept warm by waste heat from nearby data centres for the first time in the UK – thanks to a share of nearly £65 million of government funding for 5 green heating projects across the country.
The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation in the London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent and Ealing will be the first of its kind to recycle waste heat from large computer systems storing internet data to supply heating for the local community.
The heat network, backed by £36 million in government support, will connect 10,000 new homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space to a low-carbon energy source that will help keep bills low and contribute to the UK’s drive to reach net zero by 2050.
It is one of 5 innovative green heating projects in London, Watford, Suffolk and Lancaster allocated grants from the Green Heat Network Fund. Together they are expected to create thousands of skilled jobs, helping deliver the government’s promise to grow the economy.
One of these successful projects will see Lancaster University fully decarbonise its campus, by receiving over £21 million in support for a new low-carbon heat network. The heat network will supply heat to the university campus using a large heat pump, powered by a new solar farm and existing wind turbine.
The full list of projects to receive support today 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 1,000 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 6 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
