Waste heat from data centers: what works in the Nordics

What the development involves

Waste heat from data centers is usually 30–40 °C. Large heat pumps raise it to district heating temperature. Since 2021, the LUMI supercomputer in Kajaani has supplied about one fifth of the city's district heating, and a new agreement covers a larger AI facility from 2027 (FAIR EDIH, May 2026).

Meta's facility in Odense reports deliveries of 165,000 MWh to up to approximately 9,000 households (Meta, February 2025). In Helsinki, Equinix has supplied heat to Helen since 2024 (Equinix, October 17, 2024).

What benefits are documented

The figures above come from the facility owners, and the period for the Odense figure is not stated. Several large projects are planned but not yet delivering.

Fortum expects that heat from Microsoft's facilities could cover about 40% of district heating in the Espoo area when fully built out, phased in from 2027 (Datacenter Sweden, May 2026). In Stockholm, Stockholm Exergi pays a market price for delivered heat, indicatively about SEK 2 million per year for 1 MW (Stockholm Exergi).

What it could mean in Sweden

Sweden has extensive district heating networks and energy companies that want to replace combustion. The heat can become a source of revenue and an argument in discussions with the municipality. But its value is lowest in summer, when the most heat is available. In Falkenberg, a data center has a potential annual delivery of 26 GWh but currently delivers 3.6 GWh (Energiföretagen, May 2026).

What needs to be investigated

Distance to the district heating network and its capacity to absorb heat year-round. Temperature level and ownership of the heat pump. The length of the agreement in relation to the facility's phases. Alternative users such as industry and greenhouses.