A domestic datacentre system that converts computer processing heat into usable energy has helped a London homeowner reduce hot water bills by up to £15 per month. Giles Gibson installed a server unit from Surrey-based company Heata last year, which attaches to his hot water cylinder.
The system transfers heat generated by computer processing directly to his water supply, cutting hot water costs for his four-bedroom home by between £10 and £15 monthly. This is equivalent to annual savings of £120 to £180.
Heata aims to provide approximately 80% of the heat needed for a home's hot water. The company's units are currently installed in 100 homes, with 3,000 people on a waiting list, and hundreds more installations are expected next year.
The system requires homes to have vented, unpressurised water cylinders and takes about two hours to install at no cost to homeowners. Heata covers the electricity costs for running the server, while homeowners are responsible for the fibre broadband connection.
A separate trial in Essex involves two households testing HeatHub units from Wales-based company Thermify. These units heat water for radiators using heat from nearly 500 Raspberry Pi computers. Thermify plans to produce units of various sizes, with systems for average-sized homes expected to cost homeowners £90 per month.