# Global waste heat recovery initiatives

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-waste-heat-recovery-initiatives
> Updated: 2026-09-22T04:00:07.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

Efforts to capture and repurpose waste heat from industrial and digital sources are gaining traction as a method to improve energy efficiency and security. In the United States, Virginia has passed legislation (HB 323) directing state energy officials to study connecting data centers to heat users, such as greenhouses, to address local opposition to facility expansion by modeling solutions used in the Nordics and the Netherlands.

In Denmark, a Meta-owned data center in Odense has successfully integrated its server heat into the local district-heating network. Using ammonia heat pumps designed by Ramboll to upgrade captured heat to temperatures between 70 and 75°C, the infrastructure has provided approximately 165,000 megawatt-hours of heating, serving roughly 11,000 local households.

Broader analysis from the engineering firm Danfoss suggests that large-scale waste heat recovery could significantly reduce European dependence on gas. The report notes that reusing heat from sources such as factories, supermarkets, wastewater treatment plants, and data centers could save Europe up to 140 billion euros annually. In Germany, industrial waste heat alone has the potential to meet more than 30 percent of the nation’s central heating demand. Additionally, one Danish aluminum manufacturer has already transitioned away from gas by utilizing waste heat processes.

As the rise of artificial intelligence drives increased electricity demand, European data center consumption is projected to grow from 96 TWh in 2024 to 236 TWh by 2035. To manage these needs, companies like the UK-based EkkoSense are deploying sensor-based monitoring to reduce cooling energy usage, recently achieving an average 15 percent reduction at 20 Virgin Media O2 data centers.

## Claims

- Two-thirds of global energy was wasted as heat in 2024. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The proportion of wasted energy is expected to reach 55 percent by 2030. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- Reusing waste heat could save Europe up to 140 billion euros per year. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- 3,100 TWh of heat were wasted in 2023. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- Industrial waste heat could cover over 30 percent of Germany's central heating demand. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- An aluminum manufacturer in Denmark has ceased using gas by utilizing waste heat. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- European data center electricity consumption is projected to rise from 96 TWh in 2024 to 236 TWh by 2035. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- EkkoSense's system reduced energy used for cooling at Virgin Media O2 data centers by an average of 15%. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-22: Waste heat recovery could reduce Europe's gas reliance

A Danfoss report suggests reusing waste heat could save Europe €140 billion annually and reduce gas reliance. Meanwhile, startups are tackling rising data center energy demands caused by AI expansion.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/waste-heat-recovery-could-reduce-europes-gas-dependence

### 2026-09-21: Data centers explore repurposing waste heat for community use

Virginia is studying ways to repurpose data center waste heat, following a successful model in Denmark where a Meta-owned facility warms 11,000 homes using heat pump technology.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/data-centers-explore-repurposing-waste-heat-for-community-use

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Cite as: Global waste heat recovery initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-waste-heat-recovery-initiatives