Fortum and Microsoft partner to explore waste heat utilization from data centers

The data centres will use 100% emission-free electricity, and Fortum will transfer the clean heat from the server cooling process to homes, services and business premises that are connected to its district heating system. The waste heat recycling concept from the data centre region will be the largest of its kind in the world. Once the new data centre region’s waste heat capture is in operation, a total of about 60 percent of the area’s heating will be generated by climate-friendly waste heat. Of this, 40 percent results from the data centre region and the rest from other waste heat sources such as purified waste water. Fortum’s existing district heating infrastructure, the second largest in Finland, for heat capture and distribution. The infrastructure includes about 900 km underground pipes that transfer heat to approximately 250,000 users in the cities of Espoo and Kauniainen and the municipality of Kirkkonummi. reduce about 400,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.