Wedau Energy Center Uses Waste Heat from Data Center
For the first time, Stadtwerke Duisburg is using waste heat from a data center to supply district heating. The new Wedau energy plant combines heat pumps, combined heat and power units, and gas boilers
July 2, 2026
Source: E & M powernews
Stadtwerke Duisburg has commissioned the Wedau Energy Center. With this facility, Stadtwerke is tapping into a previously untapped energy source: waste heat.
With the commissioning of the Wedau Energy Center, Stadtwerke Duisburg is expanding its district heating supply to include an additional heat source. At the heart of the facility is the utilization of waste heat from a neighboring data center operated by the Duisburg Utility and Transportation Company (DVV). A heat pump raises the temperature of the waste heat to 83 degrees Celsius, which is required for the district heating network. The plant is supplemented by two combined heat and power units and a gas boiler to ensure a reliable heat supply.
“The use of waste heat from the data center demonstrates how existing energy potentials can be harnessed intelligently. In doing so, we are making an important contribution to the local heating transition,” said Andreas Gutschek, Executive Board Member for Infrastructure and Strategy at Stadtwerke Duisburg.
At the heart of the new energy center is a heat pump
The energy center was built over the course of two and a half years. It connects a historically protected section of the former boiler house—which once served as a repair facility for Deutsche Bahn—with a new building. The heat pump is located in the historic part of the building, which dates back to 1911, and is visible through a glass front. The two combined heat and power plants are housed in the new addition.
The heat pump has a capacity of 270 kW. It utilizes 1.4 GWh of waste heat from the data center annually. The heat is collected there via heat exchangers and transported to the energy center through an underground pipeline. After the temperature is raised, the municipal utility feeds the heat into the district heating network. According to the company, this amount is sufficient to supply approximately 100 households with district heating.
The two combined heat and power plants each have a thermal output of 1.8 MW and an electrical output of 1.5 MW. They generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of about 4,000 households. The heat generated is enough for about 1,000 households. Both units are H2-ready and, according to the municipal utility, can also be operated with hydrogen in the future, provided it is available.
Gas Boiler Ensures Heat Supply
In the event of a failure of the other generation plants, the municipal utility has additionally installed a gas boiler with a thermal output of 1,700 kW. By combining a heat pump, combined heat and power plants, and a peak-load boiler, the company aims to flexibly meet heating demand and secure the supply.
According to the municipal utility, the investment costs for the energy center amount to approximately 14 million euros. The company estimates the annual CO2 savings from operating the facility at around 1,000 metric tons.
With this energy center, the Duisburg-based utility is utilizing waste heat from a data center for district heating for the first time. The project is part of the company’s strategy to expand the share of climate-friendly heat sources. Stadtwerke has set a goal of achieving CO2-neutral electricity and heat generation by 2035.
Author: Heidi Roider