Great Lakes are wasting a massive source of clean energy

The Great Lakes region is exploring opportunities to recover waste heat from various sources, including nuclear power plants, municipal sewers, and data centers, to create cleaner, cheaper energy and reduce carbon emissions. This approach aims to alleviate strain on the electricity grid and decrease the need for new generating capacity. Luke Gaalswyk, CEO of Ever-Green Energy, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, emphasized that while the technology for waste-heat recovery is mature, implementation faces significant financial, organizational, and political hurdles due to the lack of supportive policy frameworks and funding mechanisms common in Europe. Ever-Green Energy's "Clean Heat St. Paul" project, a $150 million initiative to use wastewater heat from the Metropolitan Council's treatment plant for half of the city's district heating system, did not secure a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant, but proponents continue to advocate for it. Paul Kohl, board chair of the Sewer Thermal Energy Network, champions sewer thermal energy as a viable solution for reducing building emissions and mitigating electrical demand issues. He acknowledges public perception challenges and utility reluctance but points to progressive leadership as a key driver for such projects. In a notable development, the London-based company Deep Green has proposed a 24-megawatt, $120 million data center project in Lansing, Michigan. This facility is designed to transfer its waste heat into the district heating system managed by the Lansing Board of Water and Light. The Lansing City Council is slated to vote on this project on April 6, representing a potential step towards valuing heat as a resource. Experts note that North America lags behind countries like Sweden and China in waste-heat recovery, highlighting the critical need for policy signals—such as tax incentives, streamlined permitting, or even waste heat taxes—and enhanced collaboration among stakeholders to advance these initiatives.