Keeping frozen roads open to urban traffic when temperatures plunge well below zero is a costly problem in many of the world’s cold countries. Heat from a data facility running on renewable energy has brought a solution that could go global.
GDA, one of the world’s largest industrial-scale bitcoin mining companies in terms of hash rate, is helping pioneer the way that the industry repurposes the heat it generates, such as heating greenhouses during cold seasons.
In its latest innovation, the company is using heat generated by a new data centre in the Swedish city of Norsjö to warm a large garage, and keep snow-cleaning trucks running when temperatures plummet to -25C. The project is led by the company’s local subsidiary, GDA Sweden AB.
Announcing this repurposing initiative with Swedish company Muttern Fastigheter today from GDA’s Dubai office, the company’s Executive President, Abdumalik Mirakhmredov, said: “Our venture into heating a large garage space using computation excess heat is a practical example of how the industry can contribute positively and integrate with local communities.
“We are proud to lead these kinds of efforts in the industry because they reaffirm GDA’s role as a leader in sustainability, and show how bitcoin mining byproducts can be used for community utility.”
In addition to keeping the roads useable by traffic during freezing temperatures, the project in Norsjö also benefits the community by reducing the costs of the operation.
“GDA’s creative approach to addressing the needs of companies in the area demonstrates a
valuable intersection between new technology advancements and local community benefits,” said Beatrice Bergqvist, head of Business and Development at Norsjö Municipality.
“Norsjö Municipality is happy that the collaboration between these two companies is working so
well, and we hope for more projects like this in the future.”
Jörgen Lindström, part owner of Muttern Fastigheter, said: “When we met with GDA and first learned about this idea, we were amazed by the great opportunities this industry presents to local communities worldwide. I truly believe this could be the future of heating,”
GDA already operates several data centres in Sweden, including facilities in Porjus and Örträsk, which both use carbon-free electricity sourced from nearby hydroelectric power stations.
For this latest project, the company set up facility with a power capacity exceeding 500KW
running 150 machines that generate a hashrate of 14 PH/s. The electricity used is entirely renewable, thanks to its proximity to the 122 MW Vargfors Hydroelectric Power Station.
GDA provides 90,000 cubic meters of hot air per hour at 52°C across a 1200 square meter garage area – a necessity in a region such as Västerbotten County where temperatures often plummet well below zero.
