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The problem here is that densely populated cities generally aren't in need of heating: keeping them cooled is a bigger issue! From a heating perspective, there
by crote 6y ago
The problem here is that densely populated cities generally aren't in need of heating: keeping them cooled is a bigger issue!
From a heating perspective, there is basically zero demand for the kind of year-round low-quality heating a data center can produce. From a computing perspective, rare and uncontrollable bursts of computing power aren't desirable either and is a waste of hardware.
The article should be considered an edge case. The author already had hardware lying around for free and required zero usable computation. An in-ground heat buffer wasn't an option. Longevity of the hardware was irrelevant. Heat demand was quite small.
Does it work for a single person? Sure, why not! Will it work on a city-wide scale? Highly unlikely.
- lmilcin 6y agoSo where do you live exactly? I live in Europe and I would say that heating IS life or death problem whereas cooling isn't. See, there is this thing that is called hypothermia and if you take a look at the map and find where it is possible to die of hypothermia vs where it is possible to die of overheating, the number of people that live in places that require heating is much more than number of people that live in places that require cooling. That may change in the future.
- ClumsyPilot 6y agoWth is this "low-quality heating from datacenters"?
- dudul 6y agoWhere does this claim that densely populated cities don't need heating come from?