Articles tagged with "district-heating"
World's largest particle accelerator heats thousands of homes in France
Since mid-January, CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest particle accelerator, has been supplying heat to thousands of homes and businesses in the French town of Ferney-Voltaire. This initiative uses a newly activated heat-exchange system that captures waste heat from the accelerator’s cooling circuits and feeds it into the town’s district heating network. By repurposing the hot water that would normally be cooled and released into the atmosphere, CERN is providing up to five megawatts (MW) of thermal energy, with potential to double this when the accelerator is fully operational. This effort significantly reduces CO2 emissions by replacing traditional heating sources. The heat-recovery system is connected at Point 8 of the LHC, located near the French-Swiss border, where cryogenic equipment requires continuous cooling. Even during the upcoming multi-year Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) for upgrades, CERN will continue supplying between one and five MW of heat, except for a few months.
energyrenewable-energywaste-heat-recoveryLarge-Hadron-Colliderdistrict-heatingthermal-energycarbon-emissions-reductionSmall nuclear reactors that can power a city being evaluated for safety
International regulators are increasingly collaborating to evaluate the safety of new small modular reactor (SMR) designs in Europe, aiming to foster a shared understanding of safety principles without replacing national regulatory authority. Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has completed an initial safety assessment of Steady Energy’s LDR-50 SMR, a 50MW zero-carbon thermal reactor designed primarily for district heating and industrial processes. Building on this, STUK is leading a joint early review with several European regulators, focusing on fundamental safety aspects such as design assumptions, defence-in-depth, hazard protection, and emergency preparedness. This review, started in late 2025 and expected to conclude by mid-2026, supports regulatory readiness and robust safety design while maintaining national licensing responsibilities. Similarly, France is conducting a multi-phase international review of the Nuward SMR, a pressurized water reactor developed by EDF. This process, coordinated by France’s nuclear safety authority, has already examined high-level safety objectives and passive safety
small-modular-reactorsnuclear-energyenergy-efficiencycity-powerzero-carbon-energynuclear-safetydistrict-heatingYour heating may soon come from a data center
Data centers consume a significant and growing share of global electricity—currently about 1–1.5 percent and projected to reach 3 percent by 2030—with nearly all this energy eventually dissipated as heat. Traditionally, this waste heat has been released into the environment, but a new trend is emerging where operators capture and repurpose it for local heating needs, such as district heating, industrial processes, or greenhouse agriculture. This approach reduces cooling costs, lowers carbon emissions, and can generate additional revenue by selling heat to local utilities. European governments and cities like Stockholm, Helsinki, and regions in Finland are actively encouraging and mandating waste heat reuse, integrating data centers into urban energy ecosystems. The business case for heat valorization is strong. Capturing waste heat can reduce a data center’s electricity demand by 10–30 percent by lowering cooling requirements, while also displacing fossil fuel use in local heating systems, especially in cold climates. For instance, Microsoft’s data centers in Finland are expected to
energydata-centerswaste-heat-recoverydistrict-heatingsustainabilityenergy-efficiencycarbon-emissions-reductionLiquid Loops & Urban Warmth: The Next Frontier in Data Center Efficiency - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica highlights the significant opportunity to improve data center efficiency by capturing and repurposing the vast amounts of heat they generate. Traditionally, data centers have treated heat as a waste product, using energy-intensive air cooling systems that consume 20–40% of their power just to maintain safe operating temperatures. However, with the rise of hyperscale data centers and AI workloads, there is growing interest in transforming this heat from a liability into a valuable resource. Liquid cooling technologies, such as direct-to-chip and immersion cooling, enable servers to operate at higher outlet temperatures (50–60 °C), making the waste heat suitable for integration with modern district heating networks. This approach is already being implemented in northern Europe, where dense district heating infrastructure allows data centers to supply thermal energy to residential heating demands. Examples include Meta’s data center in Odense, Denmark, which provides about 100,000 MWh annually to the local grid, and Microsoft’s Azure facilities in Finland, delivering 250
energydata-centersliquid-coolingheat-recoverydistrict-heatingthermal-energyenergy-efficiencyWest Union, Iowa Has A Municipal Geothermal System. Now Others Want To Know More About It. - CleanTechnica
West Union, Iowa, has implemented a unique municipal geothermal system consisting of 132 boreholes, each 300 feet deep, connected by underground pipes supplying constant 50°F water year-round. This ground source heat pump system efficiently heats and cools municipal buildings and several downtown businesses. Unlike air source heat pumps, which must operate across varying temperatures, the geothermal system benefits from a stable water temperature, resulting in higher efficiency, lower operating costs (about half the usual heating/cooling expenses), and longer equipment lifespan—approximately 24 years for heat pumps and over 80 years for utility-grade piping. The system runs on electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting environmental sustainability. The geothermal project emerged from a convergence of factors in 2012, when West Union planned a major downtown street reconstruction and sought sustainable development options. Supported by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and funded largely through state and federal stimulus grants post-2008 recession, the town integrated the geothermal system into its revitalization efforts, which also
energygeothermal-energydistrict-heatingground-source-heat-pumpssustainable-energymunicipal-energy-systemsrenewable-energyClimate-Positive Syncraft Power Plant In Waiern, Austria, Quickly Takes Shape - CleanTechnica
The Syncraft power plant under construction in Waiern, Austria, is rapidly progressing, having completed key milestones such as steel construction, container assembly, installation of the INNIO gas engine, and rooftop radiator mounting. The next steps include insulation, pipework, and electrical installation, with commissioning planned for the third quarter of 2025. This facility will utilize regional forest residues to generate renewable electricity and heat, feeding directly into the local district heating network, while also producing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) products like green carbon or biochar, resulting in a climate-positive operation. This project exemplifies the benefits of decentralized, regional energy production by enhancing energy security and reducing transport emissions. Beyond renewable energy generation, the plant actively removes CO₂ from the atmosphere, making it genuinely carbon negative. Its integration into Waiern’s existing district heating system demonstrates a scalable and replicable model for municipalities aiming for sustainable energy solutions. The Syncraft Waiern plant highlights how combining regional biomass resources, innovative engineering, and
energyrenewable-energyclimate-positivebiomass-power-plantcarbon-removaldistrict-heatingclean-energyFinnish City Inaugurates 1 MW/100 MWh Sand Battery - CleanTechnica
The Finnish city of Pornainen has inaugurated a large-scale sand battery system—a 1 MW/100 MWh thermal energy storage solution developed in collaboration between the local district heating company Loviisan Lämpö and Polar Night Energy. This innovative sand battery, housed in a 42-foot-tall steel cylinder filled with 2,000 tons of crushed soapstone chips, stores excess renewable electricity as heat by circulating hot air through the crushed stone. The stored heat is then distributed via district heating pipelines to buildings, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The system is expected to cut carbon emissions from district heating by 70 percent, completely eliminating oil use and supplementing with carbon-neutral wood chips. The sand battery operates with a round-trip efficiency of about 90%, offering a simple, safe, and durable alternative to chemical batteries, as it does not degrade or pose fire risks. It leverages software to heat the storage during periods of low electricity prices, which has enabled the district heating operator to pay only
energyenergy-storagesand-batterydistrict-heatingrenewable-energycarbon-emissions-reductionFinland30 MW water-cooled small modular reactor could be deployed in France
Calogena, a French company, plans to explore deploying its 30 MW water-cooled small modular reactor (SMR), called CAL30, at the Cadarache research and development site. The CAL30 SMR is designed to supply carbon-free heat to urban heating networks, operating at low pressure (6 bars) and low temperature (100 °C), which makes it simpler and safer than conventional reactors. The design is based on decades-old pool-type research reactors and uses the same fuel as traditional reactors but in a shortened form. Calogena aims for deployment as early as 2030, highlighting the reactor’s compact footprint (3,000 m² land, under 1,000 m² buildings) and minimal refueling needs (one lorry every two years), which contrasts with the frequent fuel deliveries required by wood-fired heating. CAL30 is one of four SMR designs currently under evaluation by the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASN). Calogena’s design is
energysmall-modular-reactornuclear-energyclean-energywater-cooled-reactordistrict-heatingCalogenaFinland approves ‘world’s simplest’ nuclear reactor concept for safety
Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has approved the concept assessment of Steady Energy’s LDR-50 small modular reactor (SMR), deeming it fit to generate nuclear energy and meet Finland’s nuclear safety requirements. Although not legally required, Steady Energy requested this assessment to align with anticipated future regulations. The approval supports the company’s development timeline and plans to build a full-scale pilot plant inside a former coal-fired power station in Helsinki, which will demonstrate key safety features without using nuclear fuel. An international regulatory review will follow, leveraging STUK’s findings, as Steady Energy expands its agreements for 15 reactors in Finland and plans growth into Sweden and the Baltics. The LDR-50 reactor is distinct from typical SMRs as it produces only heat, not electricity, generating up to 50 MW of thermal power at 150°C. This heat can be used for district heating, industrial steam, and desalination, with a simplified pressurized light water reactor
energynuclear-energysmall-modular-reactorSMRdistrict-heatingclean-energysustainable-energyEurope: World's largest sand battery goes live, cuts 70% CO2 emissions
The world’s largest industrial-scale sand battery has become fully operational in Pornainen, Finland, developed by startup Polar Night Energy for the local district heating company Loviisan Lämpö. This innovative thermal energy storage system uses 2,000 tons of crushed soapstone to store surplus renewable electricity as heat, delivering one megawatt of thermal power with a 100 megawatt-hour capacity. The sand battery can cover nearly a month’s heating demand in summer and up to a week in winter, supplying heat to municipal buildings and homes while significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The installation is expected to cut Pornainen’s district heating CO2 emissions by nearly 70%, equivalent to about 160 tons annually, by eliminating oil use and reducing wood chip consumption by 60%. A biomass boiler remains as backup for peak demand periods. Beyond heat storage, the sand battery supports grid balancing by optimizing energy use based on electricity prices and reserve markets managed by Finland’s grid operator Fingrid, with digital services provided
energyrenewable-energythermal-energy-storagesand-batterydistrict-heatingclean-energyenergy-transitionFinland warms up the world’s largest sand battery, and the economics look appealing
Finland has recently activated the world’s largest sand-based thermal energy storage system, located in the town of Pornainen. This “sand battery” stores heat by using electricity—primarily from renewable sources—to warm 2,000 metric tons of pulverized soapstone contained within an insulated silo. The stored heat, which can reach temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius, is used to supply the town’s district heating network, significantly reducing reliance on oil and wood chips. The system can store 1,000 megawatt-hours of heat for weeks, covering about a week’s heating needs during the Finnish winter, with only 10-15% heat loss during storage and recovery. The economics of the sand battery are attractive due to the low cost of raw materials—soapstone discarded from a fireplace manufacturer—and the relatively simple infrastructure. The battery allows the town to draw electricity when prices are lowest, benefiting from Finland’s clean and affordable grid, which is powered 43% by renewables and
energythermal-energy-storagesand-batteryrenewable-energydistrict-heatingcarbon-emissions-reductionFinland-energy-innovation