A COUPLE have become the first in Britain to trial a scheme which allows them to save £335 a month on their energy bills.
Terrence and Lesley Bridges, from Braintree in Essex, are using an innovative method in their garden shed to heat up their home.
Instead of a boiler, they have switched to using a small data centre that with over 500 computers – known as a HeatHub.
The banks of computers are able to carry out digital tasks, such as processing data and generating heat.
Heat created from the data centre is then captured and transferred into the couple’s hot water system.
Ensuring the Bridges’ two-bedroom bungalow is warm is a necessity, particularly for Lesley, 75, who has spinal stenosis and experiences “a lot of pain” in the cold.
Her husband Terrence, 76, has found the HeatHub “truly brilliant”.
“I’m over the moon that we got picked to trial this out,” he said.
“You can’t fault the heating system – it is a 100 per cent improvement on what we had before.”
Lesley added: “You don’t need to go to a sauna after coming here.”
HeatHub technology has been developed as part of UK Power Networks’ SHIELD project, by Thermify.
Terrence and Lesley store theirs in an eight by six foot garden shed, and have also had solar panels and a battery installed through SHIELD.
The retired RAF sergeant said that even though they turn “the heating up fairly high to keep it nice and warm”, bills have reduced to between £40 and £60 each month.
“I haven’t got to worry about whether I can afford to turn the heating up because now I can.”
‘Being the guinea pig – as we’re known – it’s all well worth it.”
The Bridges’ are now able to keep the heat running 24 hours a day to keep their bungalow warm, without having to worry about the costs.
They also love the environmental benefits of the technology: “We’re not burning any gases, so it’s green – it’s environmentally friendly,” Terrence said.
CEO and co-founder of Thermify, Travis Theune, says the Bridges’ HeatHub will soon become part of a “remote and distributed” data centre.
This will include several units which process data for their customers, as they ultimately hope to eliminate fuel poverty in the UK.
The system could then also run other things, like apps, or analyse large amounts of data, while heating people’s homes.
It is still in its pilot phase, but the project hopes to provide “clean, green heat at a low-to-no-price point” for people as “the electricity that’s generating that heat is paid for by somebody else”.
Terrence explained: ‘Having them in warehouses, I think what a waste because you’re losing all that heat when you could be heating properties up.
He continued: “Without a doubt, I would recommend it. The amount of people I’ve spoken to, they’ve all wanted to look at it.”
“Consequently, I let them in to have a look and they can’t get over it. I’m pleased that we’ve done it. I’m hoping it goes on further.”
The Bridges’ landlord – social housing provider Eastlight Community Homes – is also part of SHIELD.
Head of asset management at Eastlight, Daniel Greenwood, hopes to see 50 new homes get HeatHubs as part of the project’s next phase.
He said: “We’ve seen great results for the current installation, and although this is the first of its kind, we’re looking to roll that out more broadly.
“Data centre technology, such as the Thermify Heat Hub, is a clear example of how innovation can improve day-to-day living while helping us achieve our Energy Performance Certificate targets at pace.
“The trial in Mr Bridges’ home shows strong carbon reductions and much lower heating costs.”
Jack McKellar, UK Power Networks’ innovation programme manager, added: “Backed by Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund, we aim to scale this up to 100,000 units annually by 2030.”
“We don’t want anyone to miss out on the benefits of new and emerging technologies, as the UK moves towards a greener future.”
