Digital Realty Trust: Digital Realty joins forces with Mainova for district heating scheme in Frankfurt

Digital Realty and Mainova AG have signed a letter of intent for a joint project to explore a potential waste heat project in Frankfurt, which could heat approximately 3,600 households. In partnership, the data center firm, and German energy firm are conducting a feasibility study to decipher whether one of the former's facilities could supply waste heat, fed into Mainova's district heating network. Thus far, it is believed that up to 20MW of waste heat could be provided for the district heating system.

The facility in question is the FRA17 data center located at the new campus in Digital Park Fechenheim, currently under construction. Projections are that the campus, when fully built out, provisionally marked as 2028, will host 11 data centers and an IT area of ​​100,000 square meters (1 million sq ft) and 200 MW of capacity.

Speaking about the project, Volker Ludwig, managing director Digital Realty, Germany said that Twaste heat utilization is an "important factor in resource conservation, now and in the future." Adding: "I am pleased to be initiating another lighthouse project for the industry together with our partner Mainova, which will also bring us closer to the international goal of operating data centers even more sustainably."

Meanwhile, Mainova chief technology officer Martin Giehl said: "We are pushing ahead with the decarbonization of our heat supply in a technology-neutral and consistent manner. The cooperation with our partner Digital Realty will enable us for the first time to integrate data center waste heat into our district heating system. This is another important step for the energy transition and climate protection. Everyone involved in the project and the city of Frankfurt will benefit from this in achieving their climate protection goals."