Value Proposition: Wastewater Heat Powered Data Centers
Integrating Data Centers with Sewer Thermal Systems
Paul Kohl and Nick Meeten met with a Mid-Western Utility recently to discuss the advancement of sewage thermal energy use. The meeting went well but excitement reached a pitch when the conversation moved to sewer heat exchangers and the value proposition around the potential of wastewater systems, specifically associated with data center development.
Economic Potential of Wastewater Heat Recovery
Data centers use a lot of electricity and produce steady, continuous waste heat, which is of value to local communities if they are able to capture and reuse it. Once data centers, municipal entities and even district energy companies get into a mutually supportive conversation, solutions can be produced. This thermal surplus is often viewed as a liability requiring large cooling plants, but in a sewer-coupled model, it becomes a resource. This makes the economic potential of wastewater heat recovery a key driver for all participants.
From Waste to Resource
The convergence of high heat output from server racks and consistent flow in sewers offers a unique synergy. The Sewer Thermal Energy Network (STEN) is a leading innovator in wastewater heat recovery solutions. STEN has been established to provide advocacy, education, information dissemination, capacity building, and networking opportunities for cities, municipalities, and wastewater utilities as well as other interested entities such as data centers. We are a membership class organization with various levels of participation and benefit. Become a member of STEN today and let's continue this important conversation.
