In response to the cold winter and high energy costs, UK Power Networks has launched an innovative project called "SHIELD." This project utilizes waste heat generated from the operation of small data centers to provide heating for ordinary households. Through an innovative financing model, this initiative not only helps low-income families significantly reduce their energy expenses but also promotes a zero-emission energy transition.
500 Raspberry Pi units will serve as a heat source, replacing traditional gas boilers.
The core technology of this project comes from the "HeatHub" system developed by Thermify. Unlike traditional gas boilers, HeatHub is actually a miniature data center, housing 500 Raspberry Pi minicomputers.
The operating principle involves immersing these computers in a special oil for cooling. The heat generated during operation is captured by the oil and then transferred to the home's hot water system to supply heating and hot water. This not only solves the computer's heat dissipation problem but also effectively utilizes heat energy that would otherwise be wasted, achieving zero carbon emissions in the process.
Electricity costs reduced from £375 to £40, allowing beneficiaries to upgrade at "zero cost".
According to a BBC reportA couple in Essex, England, were among the first to try the system. The results showed that their monthly energy bill dramatically dropped from £375 (approximately NT$15000) to just £40 (approximately NT$1600), a reduction of 90%.
For the families receiving assistance, the biggest incentive is the "zero upfront cost." The hardware and installation costs of the entire HeatHub system are initially covered by external funding from the SHIELD program, while the electricity costs for data center operations are paid for by commercial customers using cloud computing services. Excess electricity can even be sold back to the grid to offset costs.
This means that recipient families only need to provide space to place the equipment (such as a backyard garden) to enjoy heating at a very low price, without having to bear the cost of expensive solar panels or energy storage equipment, effectively lowering the threshold for green energy transition.
The goal is to provide 10 solutions annually by 2030.
The SHIELD project is currently in its beta testing phase, with a total budget of £500 million. The project will be piloted in phases with 300 households, and an evaluation is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.
The project team hopes to use the pilot data to plan for large-scale rollout, with a long-term goal of providing more than 10 similar solutions annually by 2030 to help the UK achieve a fair net-zero transition and improve the quality of life for energy-poor households.
