The University of Florence (UNIFI) team within the THUNDER project has published a new scientific paper in the journal Energies by MDPI, as part of the special issue “Trends and Developments in District Heating and Cooling Technologies.”
The study, titled “Smart Reuse of Waste Heat from Data Centres: Energy and Exergy Analysis for a District-Heating Network in Bulgaria,” explores the potential of recovering waste heat from data centres and integrating it into district heating networks.
The research presents an energy and exergy analysis of an innovative system combining a data centre, vapour-compression heat pumps, thermochemical energy storage, and a third-generation district heating network in Varna, Bulgaria. The study demonstrates how thermochemical storage can help overcome the challenge of seasonal mismatch between waste heat availability and heating demand, enabling more efficient and flexible heat utilisation.
The publication highlights the potential of integrated solutions to improve energy efficiency, support the decarbonisation of district heating systems, and unlock the value of waste heat as a sustainable energy resource. The work contributes to the broader research activities of the Horizon Europe THUNDER project, which aims to develop innovative approaches for waste heat recovery from data centres.