Around 150 public swimming pools in the UK may have the opportunity to reduce their energy costs through a unique method of utilizing heat from computer data processing centers. This is made possible by a £200m investment from Octopus Energy into a green technology company.

Deep Green, a technology startup, has successfully tested the idea of utilizing energy from processing centers to heat swimming pools. The pilot project took place last year in Exmouth, Devon.

The recent investment declared on Monday is expected to lead to the expansion of the energy solution to leisure centers throughout the country within the next two years.

The CEO of Deep Green, Mark Bjornsgaard, stated that this concept has potential beyond powering swimming pools. He elaborated, “If only 1% of the UK’s data centers used our servers, we could implement them in every public pool nationwide.” He also mentioned that the support from Octopus is the initial phase in this plan.

The focus has expanded beyond just pools. We have attracted attention from various potential collaborators who could utilize our available heat, such as district heating networks.

Deep Green’s project aims to utilize the excess heat generated during data processing to provide free heat for energy-intensive establishments like leisure centers. These organizations have been struggling with high energy costs amidst the current economic crisis, leading some to shut down or reduce operating hours.

Research by The Guardian in the previous year uncovered that England had seen a decrease of nearly 400 swimming pools since 2010. The most heavily affected areas, which also happen to have the greatest health needs, experienced the greatest losses.

The swimming pool in Exmouth decreased their heating expenses by over 60%. In exchange, Deep Green receives complimentary cooling, giving them a major advantage over regular data centers.

According to the company, Deep Green data centres can be quickly set up on-site without the need for extra grid upgrades or planning permission, and can be operational within a few weeks.

This method is effective for both the data center and the pool. The heat produced by the computers warms the water, while the transfer of heat into the pool helps to cool the computers.

The Octopus energy transition fund received a new investment.

Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, stated that in order to address the energy crisis, we must find creative solutions to unique challenges. Deep Green offers a dual solution by utilizing surplus heat from data centers to reduce energy costs for communities across the UK. The company is eager to quickly implement this solution and make a positive impact on a larger scale as we strive towards a more sustainable and affordable energy future.

Bjornsgaard stated that integrating data centers into the community can turn their waste heat into a useful asset for the local area.

“Concerns about the increasing energy consumption and carbon footprint of the data center industry are justified. However, our data centers prioritize energy efficiency and also provide free heat to benefit nearby communities.”

Source: theguardian.com