A new Goodman data center in Germany will provide waste heat for a district heating network.

The Australian data center firm has signed a deal with the City of Neu-Isenburg, just south of Frankfurt, and the local utility, Stadtwerke Neu-Isenburg (SWNI), that will see it recover and provide up to 50MW from its planned FRA02 facility for the district heating network.

SWNI will build and operate the district heating network, which will serve the south industrial estate (Gewerbegebiet Süd), the Neue Welt residential area and the Waldschwimmbad public pool, providing a local source of heat for 600 buildings and supporting the city's decarbonization strategy.

FRA02 is currently under development at Rathenaustraße 29-31, in Neu-Isenburg. Topping out at the site occurred earlier this year, and when it comes into service in 2028, it will have an IT capacity of 54MW.

Christof Prange, country manager for Germany at Goodman, said: “Recovering waste heat from FRA02 for use by local homes, businesses, and community facilities will deliver a meaningful long-term benefit for Neu-Isenburg. This outcome has been made possible by the strong collaboration between Goodman, the City of Neu-Isenburg, and SWNI over the past four years.

“Together, we have worked through the technical, planning, and commercial requirements needed to turn our shared ambition into tangible infrastructure. The result is a data center that will support the city's digital growth while becoming part of its future heating solution. This is how we seek to create lasting value for the communities in which we invest.”

Goodman said work on a high-voltage substation for the site is on track for completion this year. The company has procured the land for SWNI's planned heating plant, which will commence construction in 2028, and will invest in the technical equipment required on the FRA02 site to connect the data center to the network.

Dirk Gene Hagelstein, Mayor of Neu-Isenburg, said: “Decarbonizing our heat supply is a key priority for Neu-Isenburg, and FRA02 is helping turn that ambition into reality. This agreement enables SWNI to advance the waste heat project while building on the sustainability measures Goodman has embedded in the development, including a closed-loop cooling system to limit the use of drinking water, PV systems on the roofs, and a green facade.

“Together, we are transforming a vacant industrial site, modernizing our heating network and delivering the benefits of digital infrastructure locally in Neu-Isenburg.”

Kirk Reineke, managing director, Stadtwerke Neu-Isenburg GmbH, added: “FRA02 will provide a valuable source of recovered heat for our district heating network and support our decarbonization goals. Projects like this depend on strong, long-term partnerships. Goodman and SWNI have worked closely together to address the technical and commercial challenges, creating a foundation for long-term success that will benefit the citizens of Neu-Isenburg.”

Goodman has data center projects on the go across Hong Kong, Australia, the US, Japan, as well as Germany.