Microsoft Finnish partnership will use the Internet to heat homes emissions-free

Here is an innovative partnership at the crossroads of two megatrends: the clean energy transition and digitization.

It’s no secret that data centers use a lot of energy.

Data storage facilities consume about 200 terawatt hours annually, which according to the Australian Energy Council exceeds the energy consumption of some countries (Argentina, Ukraine, Thailand). Their energy use accounts for about one percent of global electricity demand – equivalent to half the amount used by transport worldwide.

What you probably didn’t know is that 40 percent of this huge energy use goes into cooling.

In many data centers, it is ideal to cool and remove heat – rather than using IT equipment. This is why many data centers have been built in cold regions such as northern Europe.

Because the energy required to cool an appliance is so high, there are many environmental and economic benefits to understanding how to use it.

Microsoft just might have a solution. The multinational technology corporation recently announced a collaboration with Fortum to heat homes, services and businesses with wasted heat from data centers.

The Finnish state-owned energy company will capture the excess heat generated by a new data center field in Helsinki, Finland. The data centers will run 100% emission-free electricity.

Fortum will transfer the heat generated by the data center through server cooling processes to homes, services and business premises connected to its district heating systems.

This will allow about 60 percent of the area’s heat to be generated from climate-friendly waste heat, with 40 percent generated from the data center. This would reduce Finland’s annual CO2 emissions by about 400,000 tonnes.

Fortum’s existing district heating system consists of approximately 900 kilometers of underground pipes that transfer heat to approximately 250,000 properties in the cities of Espoo, Kaunianen and Kirkonummi.

District heating is the most popular method of heating premises in the Nordic countries, which generates and captures heat in hot water and steam, and distributes it to buildings and users via massive pre-insulated underground pipes .

Fortums District Heating serves 90 percent of Stockholm’s building stock – compared to a third of one percent in North America.

The idea of ​​harnessing waste heat from data centers to heat houses is not new, but the concept is unique because the data center location was specifically chosen with waste heat recycling in mind, and will be available when it is finished. will be the largest of its kind. World. Artificial Intelligence will optimize the operation of the entire system.

Some parts of northern Europe (which tech companies prefer because of the cooler climate), already encourage innovative heating solutions like this one. Amazon data center heat is used to supply heating in Dublin, Ireland. Facebook is heating 6900 homes in Denmark with data waste heat, and in the US tech capital of California, it is on track to be mandated in its Title 24 energy code.

“Developing solutions to the global climate challenge together with partners is a strategic priority for Fortum, and we are proud to begin this extraordinary journey together with Microsoft,” said Marcus Rauramo, Fortum’s President and CEO.

“Sometimes the most sustainable solutions are the simple ones: By tapping into waste heat from data centers, we can provide clean heat for homes, businesses and public buildings … and reduce CO2 emissions by about 400,000 tons annually. .

“This is an important step towards a cleaner world, made possible by our joint ambition to reduce climate change.”

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said she hoped the cooperation could serve as a model for other countries and cities looking for ways to achieve the “double transformation of climate neutrality and digital competitiveness”.