Ramboll supports Virginia DOE’s exploration of data center waste heat reuse

Drawing on waste heat reuse projects and expertise from around the world, Ramboll served as an advisor on a recent Virginia Department of Energy report exploring the technical potential of repurposing data center waste heat to improve energy efficiency, support economic development, and deliver benefits to communities across the Commonwealth. Ramboll’s contributing team spans the UK, Canada, Denmark, and the US, with engagements being spearheaded from Ramboll’s Americas headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

The report, developed in response to legislation directing the Virginia Department of Energy to evaluate the feasibility of data center waste heat technologies, brings together research, stakeholder input, and policy recommendations aimed at accelerating the beneficial use of excess heat generated by data centers. As home to the world’s largest data center market, Virginia is uniquely positioned to explore approaches that turn otherwise wasted heat into a valuable energy resource.

“Virginia has the opportunity to lead not only in digital infrastructure but also in setting the bar for data center energy efficiency and delivering significant benefits to industry and communities,” said Cheryl Ginyard-Jones, Managing Director, Ramboll in the Americas. “Waste heat reuse is a practical example of how thoughtful planning, engineering innovation, and stakeholder collaboration can unlock greater value from growing infrastructure. Our teams at Ramboll are looking forward to working with Virginia and local agencies across the Commonwealth to help advance sustainability and energy resilience goals.”

Our world-class experts in district energy and data centers bring decades of experience to every project and have helped enable the recovery of more than 200 MW of data center waste heat, which is fed into community thermal energy systems and displaces heat that would otherwise come from other sources. Ramboll is actively supporting governments, utilities, developers, and communities across the US with navigating the intersection of digital infrastructure, energy systems, and sustainability.

Beyond contributing to the report, Ramboll has been active in the data center waste heat conversation in Virginia through knowledge-sharing activities and workshops that bring together data center developers and district energy companies to explore pathways and develop partnerships for data center heat reuse.

The Virginia Energy report concludes that waste heat reuse is technically feasible at scale in Virginia when incorporated through early planning and stakeholder collaboration. It identifies opportunities to reduce energy demand, lower water consumption, support decarbonization goals, and create new models for economic development, particularly when paired with district energy systems, industrial facilities, universities, and agricultural operations.