In the recent episode of inspiratia's 'Energy Transition Today' podcast, Amberside Advisors' Associate Director Lorcan McAlindon joined Maya Chavvakula to discuss the realities of developing and delivering data centre projects in the UK.

The Euroheat & Power Congress in Kraków was a reminder of just how quickly the district energy sector is evolving. One of the clearest messages from the conference was that heat decarbonisation has moved beyond pilot projects and into large-scale delivery programmes. Across Europe, governments and municipalities are committing significant funding to support network modernisation, fuel switching and low-carbon heat generation. The business case for decarbonisation is strength

If heat recovery is embedded into design, planning and reporting frameworks now, the UK can unlock a significant new source of low-carbon heat.

Across Europe, district heating plays very different roles in national energy systems. Differences in market penetration, fuel mix, ownership and funding models help explain why some countries are close to full decarbonisation while others face substantial delivery and investment challenges.

Data centres, producing consistent waste heat, offer a key opportunity for decarbonising homes and businesses. Early planning, co-location, and modular design can unlock investment, improve efficiency, and turn waste heat into a sustainable urban energy resource.