Goodman data center in Frankfurt, Germany, will recover 50 MW of waste heat to supply district heating for buildings and a swimming pool.

Australian data center operator Goodman has signed an agreement with the City of Neu-Isenburg, located south of Frankfurt, and local utility Stadtwerke Neu-Isenburg (SWNI) to recover and provide up to 50MW of waste heat from its planned FRA02 facility to the city's district heating network. SWNI will build and operate the network, which will serve the Gewerbegebiet Süd industrial estate, the Neue Welt residential area, and the Waldschwimmbad public pool—providing heat to 600 buildings and supporting the city's decarbonization strategy.

The FRA02 facility is under development at Rathenaustraße 29-31 in Neu-Isenburg. Topping out occurred earlier this year, with the facility scheduled to enter service in 2028 with an IT capacity of 54MW. The substation work at the site is on track for completion this year. Goodman has procured the land for SWNI's planned heating plant, which will commence construction in 2028, and will invest in the technical equipment needed to connect the data center to the heating network.

The development incorporates multiple sustainability measures, including a closed-loop cooling system to limit the use of drinking water, photovoltaic systems on the roofs, and a green facade.

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."

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 of 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 operates data center projects across Hong Kong, Australia, the US, Japan, and Germany.