Ignis and Rebi plan district heating networks powered by data center waste heat

Spanish firms Ignis and Rebi have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore developing district heating networks powered by waste heat from data centers, according to pv-magazine.com pv-magazine.compv-magazine.compv-magazine.comOpen source ↗. Under the agreement, the partners intend to capture thermal energy generated during data center operations and distribute it to residential buildings, commercial sites, and industrial facilities. The initiative focuses on server infrastructure projects that Ignis is currently developing alongside specialized operators.

System integration and site feasibility

The engineering teams will evaluate methods to interface data center cooling loops directly with heat recovery and urban distribution systems pv-magazine.compv-magazine.compv-magazine.comOpen source ↗. Each deployment will be assessed individually based on local thermal demand and the technical requirements for connecting the computing facility to a district pipeline network. Successful implementations are intended to substitute conventional heat generation assets, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption across connected heating and process infrastructure.

Operational capabilities and assets

Rebi brings technical expertise in engineering, constructing, and running thermal utility systems pv-magazine.compv-magazine.compv-magazine.comOpen source ↗. The company currently operates six district heating networks across Spain, utilizing technologies such as heat pumps, biomass, hybrid solar installations, thermal energy storage, and waste heat recovery. Ignis manages energy assets totaling approximately 10 GW across owned and third-party sites, including more than 1 GW of generation capacity operating or under construction, while focusing on power solutions for large-scale consumers.