A German company is building a cloud which puts servers in people’s houses in exchange for the free heating.
Cloud&Heat is a cloud infrastructure company that has started distributing its servers to people who want to store them in exchange for free heat in their homes or offices.
Customers pay to have a Cloud&Heat fire-proof cabinet installed in their homes or offices which is about the same as a standard heating system. Cloud&Heat pays for the electricity and internet service the cabinet needs and the owner gets to enjoy free heat and hot water. Plus Cloud&Heat has some clever fixes in place.
Now that would be great if it was not for that annoying thing called summer. However, apparently if the servers do heavy data processing when no one needs the heat, the system stores hot water in a “buffering tank.” Cloud&Heat cabinets can also vent outside in the spring and summer.
One of the downsides is the matter of security, because anyone’s data could be in anyone else’s house at a given time. Cloud&Heat said that all of its data is encrypted and only its employees can open the cabinets.
