CoolHeatDC

The CoolHeatDC research project was officially launched in December 2025 as part of the CETPartnership program and is coordinated by an international consortium under the scientific leadership of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH. The project aims to develop a novel cooling system for data centers that is both energy-efficient and environmentally friendly – a crucial step towards a more sustainable digital future.

Background: Why CoolHeatDC?

Data centers are the backbone of our digital society, enabling essential services such as healthcare, energy systems, mobility, and communication. With the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC), the demand for computing power—and consequently energy—is rising significantly. In 2022 alone, European data centers consumed approximately 100 TWh of electricity, equivalent to 3.4% of the EU’s total electricity use. This number is expected to increase to 150 TWh by 2030.

This surge in demand also leads to increased cooling requirements, as powerful servers generate substantial amounts of heat. Traditional cooling systems are no longer sufficient to handle such high-performance densities and typically fail to make efficient use of the waste heat produced. At the same time, regulatory frameworks at both EU and national levels are tightening, pushing for more energy-efficient data center operations.

Rethinking Data Center Cooling

CoolHeatDC aims to develop and validate an innovative two-phase immersion cooling system that uses natural working fluids and is directly coupled with a heat pump. This state-of-the-art technology involves fully immersing servers in a special coolant, allowing for highly efficient, direct heat transfer. Compared to conventional air or liquid cooling, this method offers significantly improved energy efficiency and reduced power consumption.

By integrating a heat pump directly into the system, the waste heat from the servers can be upgraded to a higher temperature level, making it usable for low-temperature district heating networks or various industrial processes. This enables a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use and supports broader climate neutrality goals.

Key Advantages of the CoolHeatDC Approach:

• Significant energy savings for data centers
• Efficient heat recovery for heating networks and industrial use
• Use of natural refrigerants for an environmentally responsible operation
• Support for higher power densities through immersion technology
• Compliance with current and future energy regulations

The Consortium

The CoolHeatDC project brings together leading partners from research and industry:

• AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (Austria – project coordination)
• SINTEF Energy AS (Norway)
• Silesian University of Technology (Poland)
• Schneider Electric Norge AS (Norway)
• Green Mountain AS (Norway)
• Advanced Technology Machines Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

These partners contribute expertise in thermodynamics, heat pump systems, data center operations, refrigeration technologies, and system integration.

Funding

CoolHeatDC is co-funded by the European Union under the CETPartnership (Grant Agreement No. 101069750) and additionally supported by:

• The Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK)
• The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) in Poland
• Nordic Energy Research in Norway

Timeline and Outlook

Running from December 2025 to November 2028, the project will focus on the development and laboratory-scale validation of the cooling and heat recovery system. The long-term goal is to establish a solid foundation for future demonstration projects and wide-scale implementation.

CoolHeatDC contributes directly to the decarbonization of digital infrastructure and helps ensure that Europe remains a leader in sustainable and resilient digital technologies.