The Large Hadron Collider will now heat homes as well as smash particles

The new heating system has been online since mid-January, warming thousands of French homes

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In brief: As one of the largest research projects in history, the Large Hadron Collider requires enormous amounts of power to accelerate subatomic particles and collide them. The massive underground facility also generates significant heat, which can now be recycled to benefit nearby communities.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) recently announced the launch of a new heat exchange system connected to the Large Hadron Collider. The system is designed to reuse the hot water that cools the LHC, providing a low-cost and environmentally sustainable source of heat for nearby residents.

The heat exchange system is located at Point 8, one of the eight locations where the LHC rises to the surface. Point 8 is near Ferney-Voltaire, a French town that recently opened a new residential and commercial district. This district includes a heating network connected to the LHC's cooling system, supplying heat to structures at Point 8.

Cryogenic systems and other installations at Point 8 are cooled with water, which naturally warms up while the plant maintains its operating temperature. CERN energy coordinator Nicolas Bellegarde explained that this warm water is typically routed through a cooling tower, where heat is released into the atmosphere before the water is returned to the system.

The new network will route the hot water through two 5-MW heat exchangers, transferring thermal energy to thousands of homes in the Ferney-Voltaire area. The LHC will serve as one of the heat sources for the network, supplying energy to the community whenever possible. CERN emphasizes that the system must still meet the LHC's strict requirements for reliable cooling.

In theory, the 27-kilometer particle accelerator could double the amount of heat delivered by using two 5-MW exchangers. However, the machine is scheduled for a full shutdown for long-term maintenance in summer 2026. During this period, the LHC will be inactive for several years while technicians and researchers upgrade its hardware.

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Even during the shutdown, some Point 8 systems will continue to require cooling. The plant is expected to provide between 1 and 5 MW of heat to Ferney-Voltaire, even when the collider is essentially offline – and that's just the beginning.

Over the past few years, the Large Hadron Collider has produced remarkable scientific discoveries, and European researchers are eager to expand its capabilities further. At the same time, CERN is working to reduce the accelerator's environmental impact. The organization's energy management strategy includes policies to reduce consumption and improve efficiency.

Following the implementation at Point 8, CERN plans to recover heat from the cooling systems at Point 1 and a recently opened data center.