The heat of the data centers is under-exploited (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Swiss data centers are big consumers of energy. - They could provide heat for district heating.

Key facts

• Swiss data centers are responsible for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions. - The heat of the data centers could provide heating for about 185,000 private homes.

The heat of the data centers is under-exploited. Large energy consumers could provide heat for district heating, but only a third of them use it.

In Switzerland, data centers are present in almost all cantons, with a greater concentration in the cantons of Geneva, Zurich and Bern. According to data from the Swiss Association of Data Centers, in 2020 there were about 150 data centers in Switzerland, with an energy consumption capacity of over 1,500 MW.

The energy consumption of data centers is equal to about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. This is a significant problem, considering that Switzerland has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The heat from the data centers could provide heating for about 185,000 private homes. However, only a third of these data centers use heat for district heating. This means that there is still a lot of room to improve the sustainability of data centers in Switzerland.

Swiss law requires data centers to be managed sustainably and to use energy sources

Operational details

The heat from the data centers could provide heating for about 185,000 private homes. However, only a third of them take advantage of it. Positive examples are in Dielsdorf, where residual heat from the data center will provide heating and hot water to six municipalities starting in the fall.

The heat of the data centers is under-exploited📊. According to studies, most Swiss data centers do not use more than 30% of the heat produced. This could change thanks to new regulations and technologies that encourage the valorisation of waste heat.

Switzerland is a leading country in the production of electricity from renewable sources, but waste heat management is still an evolving issue. According to 2022 data, Switzerland produces about 58 TWh of electricity, but only a small part of this heat is used for heating.

The federal legislation on waste heat valorization came into force in 2020. The law requires Swiss data centers to use at least 50% of the heat produced for heating or hot water production by 2030. Data centers that fail to meet this goal will be subject to an additional fee.

Positive examples are found in different parts of Switzerland. In Dielsdorf, Microsoft's data center will provide heating and hot water to six municipalities starting in the fall. The project was carried out in collaboration with the management company

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Key points

The heat of the data centers is under-exploited

To take advantage of the heat of the data centers, it is necessary to connect the computing centers to the district heating networks. This could be done through the construction of new infrastructure or the modernisation of existing ones. It is also possible that Swiss cantons establish regulations to force data centers to take advantage of the heat produced.

According to a report by the Federal Office for the Environment, the Swiss produce about 13.4 million tons of combustion waste every year. Of these, 60% come from electricity generation plants, while 20% from heat production plants. Data center facilities contribute to this problem, as they produce a significant amount of untapped heat.

For example, Google's data center in St. Gallen produces about 15 MW of heat, which could be used to heat up to 2,000 homes. However, this heat is currently discharged into the air and is not used for any useful purpose. 📊

In Switzerland, there are already examples of data centers that use the heat produced to heat buildings. For example, Microsoft's data center in Bern produces about 5 MW of heat, which is used to heat the data center building and other nearby buildings. This has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by around 3,000 tonnes per year.

However, there are still many hurdles to overcome

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Source: rsi.ch