Mark Bjornsgaard, the founder of Deep Green, discusses the untapped potential of excess heat from data centers. He explains how 97% of electricity consumed by computers turns into heat, which can be repurposed to heat community facilities like swimming pools and breweries. Bjornsgaard unveils a novel business model that integrates data centers with district heating systems, offering free heat while cutting cooling costs. He also highlights the competitive landscape in district heating innovations and the importance of collaboration in tackling climate challenges.
Data centers produce substantial excess heat which can be repurposed to provide free thermal energy for community needs.
Deep Green's innovative business model fosters community relations by supplying free heat while meeting computing demands and lowering operational costs.
Deep dives
Repurposing Data Center Heat
Data centers generate significant excess heat during their operations, with up to 97% of the electricity consumed resulting in heat production. This heat is typically wasted, released into the atmosphere through cooling systems. However, innovative approaches, such as those developed by Deep Green, aim to repurpose this heat for community needs, thereby addressing the inefficiencies inherent in data center operations. By capturing and redirecting this heat, it's possible to provide free thermal energy for applications like heating public swimming pools and residential buildings, creating a mutually beneficial scenario for both data centers and local communities.
Addressing Energy Demand Concerns
The explosion of artificial intelligence technology has amplified the energy requirements of data centers, which currently account for a substantial portion of the electricity supply—a figure that is expected to increase exponentially. A key concern is whether traditional power grids can keep up with this demand. However, the alternative solution lies in utilizing the heating produced by data centers, which can potentially be redirected to meet heating needs across various sectors, reducing dependence on electric power for heating. This transformation not only mitigates the carbon emissions generated from power-intensive computing but also allows communities to decarbonize their heating systems more effectively.
The Business Model and Community Benefits
Deep Green operates on a unique business model that involves distributing free heat generated from their data centers to local consumers, such as laundries, swimming pools, and residential buildings. This model not only provides these facilities with significant cost savings on heating but also enhances community relations as the availability of free heat can address funding pressures faced by public services. The company benefits financially from hosting clients’ computing needs while simultaneously reducing its own operational costs related to cooling. The reciprocal relationship fosters goodwill and facilitates the implementation of the technology across urban settings, optimizing the use of resources for the greater good.
Data centres are not the most glamorous topic of discussion but they are everywhere, powering our modern, digital economy. But they can also power swimming pools, breweries and laundries, as Mark Bjornsgaard tells Hannah and Rob on this episode. 97% of the electricity that goes into a computer comes out as heat. It’s an incredibly inefficient process, and more often than not this heat isn’t used. So, rather than building these data centres in the middle of nowhere, Mark’s company Deep Green is taking computing power to where heat is needed, offering a precious resource to communities across the UK. Could this be scaled up for use across the world?