Heata Turns Cloud Computing Waste Heat into Free Hot Water in UK Homes
Heata installs rented servers in UK homes and uses their waste heat to provide free hot water, paying extra electricity costs. It aims to cover about 80% of heating; Thermify is testing a similar HeatHub system.
Heata's model places a compute module next to a hot water cylinder. The module processes data for business customers, and the heat it produces is transferred to the home's water supply for showers and hot taps. Heata pays for any additional electricity used by the mini server, while the homeowner receives hot water and lower energy bills. The company says the system aims to provide around 80% of the heat for a home's heating system, cutting gas costs considerably.
The company says the waste heat from a single data center could provide hot water for around 30,000 homes. Homes taking part need fast broadband so data can be routed quickly to the compute module. Heata rents the server space to businesses, giving them lower-cost capacity while homeowners benefit from the heat. According to TechRadar, domestic waste-heat use appears to be a growing industry in the UK and Europe, offering a way to reduce bills and reuse energy that would otherwise be cooled and released.
Heata is not the only provider testing the approach. Wales-based Thermify is looking for trial customers and uses a different system called a HeatHub. Inside the HeatHub, a cluster of Raspberry Pi Compute Modules generates data solutions and heat. Thermify uses the HeatHub to replace a home's boiler, rather than attaching a compute unit to an existing hot water cylinder.
There are compatibility limits. In Heata's case, only vented hot water cylinders can be used; unvented, pressurised cylinders are not compatible. Other providers of similar data-to-heat services can deliver heated water in different ways. The report notes that no new homes will be permitted to have gas boilers installed from 2027 onward, creating demand for alternatives to gas-based hot water and heating.
The concept uses the same electricity twice: once for computing and again for heating water. For businesses, it offers server space; for homeowners, it offers a way to reduce gas use while hosting equipment. TechRadar reported that Heata and Thermify are among the companies addressing server space and heating costs through domestic waste-heat systems.