CERN Reuses Waste Heat for Urban Heating

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has implemented an innovative system to reuse the thermal energy produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This heat exchange system directs waste heat from the particle accelerator to the French town of Ferney-Voltaire, heating thousands of homes and businesses.

The initiative leverages the LHC's massive cooling network to reduce carbon emissions in the region. The heat exchange system captures the heat generated during the accelerator's operation and transfers it to a district heating network, providing low-impact thermal energy for the local community.

This project demonstrates how large scientific infrastructures can contribute to environmental sustainability, transforming a byproduct such as waste heat into a valuable resource for urban heating.