The 2024 Paris Olympics is more than just a sporting event; it’s a showcase of innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. At the heart of this is the unexpected partnership between athletics and technology. The Aquatics Centre, hosting the diving, artistic swimming, and water polo competitions, is being heated by a nearby data center, a groundbreaking example of sustainable innovation.
Equinix operates the data center, PA10, which was designed with sustainability in mind. In 2023, the heat from Equinix PA10 data centers powered a rooftop ‘urban farm’ on the outskirts of Paris. Central to the client’s sustainability commitment was the desire to reuse waste heat from the data center.
Its heat recovery technology captures the immense heat generated by servers processing the world’s data and redirects it to warm the Olympic pool to a comfortable 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This process, which involves a complex system of pipes and heat exchangers, effectively transforms waste heat into a valuable resource.
The partnership between the Olympics and Equinix highlights a growing trend of repurposing data center heat. Similar initiatives are underway in Dublin, where an Amazon data center warms government buildings and college dorms, and in Norway’s Lyseparken, an entire city designed around data center heat.
As the demand for data centers surges due to remote work, streaming, and AI advancements, the need for sustainable solutions becomes increasingly critical. While using waste heat is a significant step forward, experts emphasize that more actions are required to address the overall environmental impact of the industry. With global data center electricity consumption expected to double by 2026, innovative approaches like heat recovery will be essential in building a more sustainable future.
