This is the heat that comes from the bacteria decaying the organic mater, it can reach up to 165 Degrees F in a compost windrow/pile during the composting proses, after the mater becomes decayed the temperature dose not get that high anymore
benefit of the compost pile generating heat
Heat and Moisture break down the compost.
The heat stays mostly inside the compost, that's why it is important to turn the compost inside out regularly, so that every part of the compost gets sterilized from bad germs. In open air compost heaps, the heat will evaporate as vapor, especially visible in cold weather. That water loss needs to be compensated. There is probably not much residual heat at the surface of a compost bin. Heat usually goes up, but in that case, the heat is not in air or water, but in the mass of the compost itself, so it radiates in all directions. A small container such as a compost bin would see most of the heat exchanged from every side.
The process of compost heat is to breack down the material.
Plastic is bad for compost because it throws the heat of in the pile and can cause a spot to spoil
It is best to have the bin in the sun so that it gets the most heat. Heat is needed to brake down yard waste into compost.
heat
In the hot summer heat!
The snow on a compost pile melts faster than the snow on the ground because the compost pile generates heat as it decomposes organic matter. This heat speeds up the melting process of the snow on top of the compost pile. Additionally, the dark color of the compost absorbs more sunlight, further accelerating the melting.
To effectively heat up compost in winter, you can insulate the compost pile with materials like straw or leaves, turn the pile regularly to introduce oxygen, and add nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps to speed up decomposition and generate heat.
Heat and bacteria break down the material
The heat is released because the plant material you have put into the compost is being broken down by bacteria. As these bacteria work they warm up an this warms the compost - it can get very hot in the middle of a compost heap.