Join us for a thought-provoking event that delves into the intersection of digital infrastructure and cleaner, greener heat to warm communities.
District heating networks are widely seen as a low-carbon heating solution for cities and semi-urban environments. Data centres, which play a vital role in the development of digitally enabled cities and are frequently clustered in such regions, naturally generate heat as part of their operations. Integrating data centre heat into heat networks therefore presents a promising avenue for sustainable, low-carbon heating solutions. However, this transition is not without its challenges.
As the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) plans to introduce a regulatory framework for heat network zoning in England, our hybrid panel discussion aims to facilitate cross-industry conversations on how to collaboratively address the challenges associated with heat export, contributing to a more affordable and environmentally friendly future.
Topics discussed will include:
- Assessing the potential of data centres in aiding the UK's heat decarbonisation goals.
- Examining how heat export can enhance energy security.
- Exploring the role of heat export in shielding consumers from energy price shocks.
- Investigating methods for data centres to attain higher temperatures using liquid cooling technology.
Please note that the event will start at 4 PM in-person and 4:30 PM online.
Join us to discover valuable perspectives from trailblazers in this field such as the event’s sponsor, Equinix.
Our customers’ IT infrastructure in our data centres generates heat. We aim to capture and export this heat to benefit local communities wherever possible, reducing energy use and improving power useage effectiveness (PUE). Our heat export program is industry leading. We have been exporting heat for over a decade and we are building in-house expertise to keep ahead of regulations. Today, we are ready to scale our impact.
In 2023, we expanded the number of our sites contracted to export heat from 1 to 4 sites across our global operations and it is now a requirement for our new build sites to be heat export enabled.
We partner with utilities to export heat and ensure there is a meaningful impact in the communities where we operate. The heat we provide replaces more expensive and carbon intensive energy sources like gas and coal that would otherwise be used to heat homes.
The panel will be followed by a networking mixer, and refreshments will be provided.
Keynote speakers
Bruce Owen
Panellists
Noah Nkonge
Maria Mohr
Cantor Mocke
Charlotte Large
Xiaofang Xu
techUK has recently published a report on the topic of data centre heat export which outlines the industry’s position on this issue.
For more information please contact:
Weronika Dorociak
Weronika Dorociak
Weronika joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Sustainability in October 2023.
Her role involves advocating for the tech sector in front of key policymakers and stakeholders. Weronika also leads the environmental and sustainability efforts within the Data Centres Group.
Prior to joining techUK, Weronika worked in public affairs and government relations in the legal sector, focusing on innovation and ESG within financial services. She also spent 2 years working as a Caseworker at Parliament. She holds a BA in Politics & International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.
Outside of work, Weronika can be found on a tennis court, at the gym, practicing yoga, or indulging in her love for Taylor Swift's music as a dedicated Swiftie.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/weronikaedorociak/
Luisa C. Cardani
Luisa C. Cardani
Luisa C. Cardani is the Head of the Data Centres Programme at techUK, aiming to provide a collective voice for UK operators and working with government to improve business environment for the data centres sector.
Prior to joining techUK, Luisa worked in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as the Head of International Data Protection, where she led on the development of elements of the UK's data protection and privacy policy. In her role, she was also the UK official representative for the EOCD Privacy Guidelines Informal Advisory Group.
She has held a number of position in government, including leading on cross-cutting data provisions in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and in high priority cross-departmental projects when working in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
She holds an M.Sc. from University College London's Department of Political Sciences.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07587 210 799
- Website:
- www.techUK.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisacardani
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach is Programme Assistant at techUK, he works on a range of programmes including Data Centres; Climate, Environment & Sustainability; Market Access and Smart Infrastructure and Systems.
Before that Lucas who joined in 2008, held various roles in our organisation, which included his role as Office Executive, Groups and Concept Viability Administrator, and most recently he worked as Programme Executive for Public Sector. He has a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Andrzej Frycz-Modrzewski Cracow University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2006
- Twitter:
- @techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-banach-50139650
Data Centres updates
Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Data Centres programme.
