Cundall publishes whitepaper exploring the regional value of data centre waste heat recovery

Cundall has published a new whitepaper exploring how the sustainability benefits of data centre waste heat recovery change substantially between regions, highlighting why local energy infrastructure should play a greater role in design decisions.

Developed by Cundall's data centre team, the research studies a representative 30MW data centre across multiple international markets including Poland and Denmark, to assess how waste heat recovery performs under different energy system conditions. Rather than assuming the technology delivers the same environmental benefit everywhere, the study shows that factors including electricity generation, district heating infrastructure and local energy demand can significantly influence overall carbon savings.

As waste heat recovery becomes an increasingly prominent part of the sustainability conversation surrounding digital infrastructure, the findings encourage developers, operators and investors to take a more location-specific approach when evaluating its value. The research reinforces that while waste heat recovery can play an important role in reducing emissions, its effectiveness depends on the characteristics of the market in which a data centre operates.

Commenting on the publication, Katarzyna Wachowicz, Senior Mechanical Engineer, said:

"Waste heat recovery has enormous potential to support more sustainable data centre development, but our research shows there is no universal approach. The environmental value of recovering heat is closely linked to the local energy system, which means the same solution can deliver very different outcomes depending on where it is implemented. We hope this research helps the industry make more informed decisions by placing regional context at the centre of sustainability strategies."

The whitepaper builds on Cundall's ongoing research into sustainable data centre design and provides useful insights for organisations seeking to manage operational performance and environmental responsibility.

Read the full whitepaper to explore the findings and understand how regional energy systems influence the value of waste heat recovery in data centres.