I think the main motivation for this in both Espoo and the neighbouring Helsinki is the cities' 2030 carbon neutrality pledges. From the data center's point of

I think the main motivation for this in both Espoo and the neighbouring Helsinki is the cities' 2030 carbon neutrality pledges. From the data center's point of view, I wonder if the price they get paid for the heat is significant. Here's the public price list for recovered waste heat in Helsinki (around 30 EUR/MWh): https://www.helen.fi/en/companies/heating-for-companies/open-district-heat https://www.helen.fi/en/companies/heating-for-companies/open... In Helsinki, I'm already buying my certified zero-emission heat from a big 100MW heat pump station that uses waste water among its inputs. In June, they are also adding heat from a Telia data center as an input to the district heating system. They give some numbers too: "Using a heat pump, the data centre can produce at least 1.3 times the heat that it consumes as electricity." https://www.helen.fi/en/news/2021/konesalien-hukkal%C3%A4mm%C3%B6st%C3%A4-hiilineutraalia-kaukol%C3%A4mp%C3%B6%C3%A4-telian-datakeskus-l%C3%A4mmitt%C3%A4%C3%A4-helsinkil%C3%A4isi%C3%A4-koteja https://www.helen.fi/en/news/2021/konesalien-hukkal%C3%A4mm%...