Discover ways to warm up your living space while browsing the web.
The most significant challenge confronting data centers and internet servers might not be what you think. If you guessed data corruption or hackers, you’re mistaken.
If you’ve ever played a high-performance video game or used demanding software, you’re aware of the intense heat generated by hard-working computers.
Cooling the devices is necessary, but it can be very expensive. How can you keep those servers from overheating without spending a fortune?
An innovative solution was implemented by a leisure center in the UK – they converted their data center into a water heater for their swimming pool.
The Exmouth Leisure Center’s public pool is now kept warm using the excess heat generated by their data center, which not only provides comfort to swimmers but also saves the leisure center thousands of dollars in energy expenses.
It’s a logical solution when you think about it – the servers need cooling, and the pool requires heating, so why not address both issues at once?
This is a practical and cost-effective solution that is also environmentally friendly.
Two-fold Challenge
The Exmouth Leisure Center’s system, referred to as the “digital water heater,” effectively addresses two problems that are rapidly becoming more significant. The first problem relates to the excessive heat generated by data centers.
As the computer has no place to dissipate the heat, it expels it into the surrounding air. While it may provide some warmth on chilly days, it can be a financial drain as it necessitates the air conditioning to work harder.
Another problem arises when it comes to heating swimming pools. It requires a significant amount of energy to keep the water at a comfortable temperature.
Regrettably, energy costs are rapidly increasing worldwide, and that poses a significant challenge for Exmouth Leisure Center.
According to Sean Day, the leisure center’s manager, he anticipates the energy expenses of the center to increase by over $120,000 in the current year, as per his interview with BBC.
The issue facing Exmouth Leisure Center is not unique, as reported by the BBC, with 65 swimming pools across the U.K. being shut down permanently since 2019.
Ridiculously Simple
The partnership between Exmouth Leisure Center and Deep Green resulted in a solution that is remarkably uncomplicated, to the point of seeming almost ridiculous.
Once the mineral oil has absorbed the heat, it needs to be cooled down. The pumps move the heated oil out of the enclosed system and into a heat exchanger that’s connected to the swimming pool, where the heat from the oil is transferred to the water.
The system employed by Exmouth Leisure Center maintains a pleasant water temperature of 86 degrees for approximately 60% of the time. As a result, the center has reduced its natural gas consumption by 62% since the conventional gas heater operates only on occasion.
By saving nearly $25,000 annually, the leisure center can keep the lights on and the pool warm without much trouble.
Others Follow Suit: The Trend of Data Centers Heating Swimming Pools
Utilizing wasted heat from data centers is a trend not limited to Exmouth Leisure Center. Other facilities in Europe are also repurposing their servers’ heat output.
One Dutch data center operator has taken things a step further, completely replacing its natural gas heating system with a more sustainable alternative. Instead, the heat generated by the facility’s computers is now used to keep the building warm.
Near the city of Odense, Denmark, a data center hosts videos for social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. The center’s servers put out heat that is utilized to heat water for the city’s residential and tap water needs.
The simple act of streaming videos is indirectly contributing to Odense’s heating system and conserving resources for more significant purposes.