• An Essex couple were able to reduce their monthly energy bills from £375 to as low as £40
• HeatHub uses over 500 Raspberry Pi computers to provide domestic heating
• The system channels computing-generated heat directly into household hot water supplies

A couple in Essex, UK, have been taking part in a new trial which replaces their traditional gas boiler with a small data hub installed in their garden shed.

A report from the BBC outlined how the data center contains more than 500 Raspberry Pi computers that generate heat while processing digital workloads.

The heat produced during these tasks is redirected into their two-bedroom home to supply heating and hot water, significantly reducing their monthly energy bills from £375 a month to as low as £40.

Connecting HeatHub to national initiatives

The system, known as a HeatHub, forms part of UK Power Networks’ SHIELD project, which explores different heating options for cost-sensitive residents.

Project representatives have stated that the plan could reach more households if the early results remain consistent.

One housing organisation involved in the scheme indicated that fifty homes may be targeted for future installations if performance and cost outcomes align with expectations.

Interest in this type of heat recovery follows rising electricity demand in large-scale computing facilities.

Some trials in the UK have also explored heated swimming facilities and proposed solar-powered data and heating networks to test similar concepts.

Cooling processes remain a major area of focus because data infrastructure operators have reported that a large share of energy consumption can be used to maintain safe hardware temperatures.

Some companies have shifted toward natural or low-energy cooling methods, including sites powered by solar panels and those using water bodies as heat sinks.

One example involves heat exchangers placed in an artificial pond to pull heat away from server racks, creating a closed-loop system without chemical coolants.

Other projects have tested underwater data centres, while scientists are already exploring ocean-based cooling systems to improve efficiency.

The HeatHub trial is built around a distributed computing model where several small modules can be combined to create a wider remote processing network.

Some enthusiasts have linked the HeatHub trial to conversations on green hosting and possible future shifts in how localised data processing interacts with household energy systems.

However, the long-term suitability of this approach has not been fully established.

This is because wider usage, system durability, and seasonal consistency have not been proven beyond the pilot phase.

There are still unknowns on how households might compare this method with common installations or new alternatives, such as portable power stations that reduce reliance on traditional heating.

Final adoption may depend on cost, maintenance, reliability, and how well the model performs when expanded beyond controlled environments.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.