The Race to Zero has started

Data demands, latency needs, connectivity requests and storage requirements are growing rapidly, whilst advances in technology are always in the headlines the relationship between the power houses of our digital economy, our Data Centers, and the environment is a relatively quiet subject. Sustainable Data Centers and more environmentally friendly, Carbon Neutral Data Centers are gathering pace with early adopters already staking their claims but in the Race to Zero organisations cannot be left behind. New devices, technologies and increased data speeds are always being developed in order to keep us connected at scale to our Data Centers, whether on prem, white space, co-lo or at the edge. Connectivity is the backbone of our global infrastructure, and every day our appetite for it grows, presenting an opportunity for organisations to satisfy the demands of consumers and business customers but also creating a threat to our planet with the energy, water and waste used by and created by our Data Centers.

The Data Center industry is huge and is growing at a rapid pace. According to Aritzon, the industry is set to be worth $251 billion by 2026 and that’s just the large providers, it doesn’t include the majority of on-premise facilities. It’s great news for the broad industry, however Data Centers are currently consuming 205 TWh of electricity, emitting as much carbon as the airline industry, and with the advances in global connectivity, data and technology continuing, this is expected to increase to between 1030 TWh and 8000 TWh by the end of the decade according to Andrae, Anders & Edler, Tomas. Global power usage for Data Centers alone, not withstanding transmission networks or ICT production, is estimated at around 1% and in the UK alone, Data Centers (including on-prem scenarios) is thought to account for around 12% of all electricity generated in the UK according to UK Energy Research Centre. With the demands on digital and technology leaders increasing, this number is expected to rise.

However, this poses huge challenges for our Data Centers, especially those that aim for Sustainability, in order to keep up with the growing digital economy whilst simultaneously achieving carbon neutrality, Data Center leaders need to make significant changes to how they are operating and the technologies they are using if they are to create more efficient, cost effective and high performing sustainable Data Centers.

There are fundamental steps that leaders can and should be implementing within their own environments. From modularization, right sizing and virtualization to Data Center infrastructure management (DCIM) and more efficient methods for cooling and fire management. One of the biggest power consumers for a Data Center is not powering the center itself, but more the cooling technology used. In some cases, this accounts for 30-50% of all Data Center power usage and therefore alternative methods, such as immersive cooling should be a priority. 

And whilst new technologies and more efficient Data Centers are being built, and should certainly be a consideration for the future, business leaders need to fully understand their own environments and their requirements in depth. There are already fundamental steps that Data Center leaders should be taking in their current environments as pressure mounts to become a more sustainable operation whilst improving performance and managing costs.  

We are seeing more focus on sustainability in businesses with the introduction of the EU Green Deal and the Climate Neutral Data Center pact, but in order for businesses to really commit to the race to zero, there needs to be some real accountability. Up until now, the Data Center industry has been entirely self-regulatory when it comes to sustainability, but Data Center leaders both at operator and within public and private sector might want to get ahead of the game. 

The Climate Neutral Data Center Pact, recently proposed a series of recommendations to the EU directly, requiring organisations to be certified by an independent auditor to ensure genuine Climate Neutrality. It’s easy for businesses to claim that they are carbon neutral so we welcome the news that in future, evidence will need to be provided in order to prove that they are. 

In order to meet these Targets, businesses will need to adhere to the goals set out within the pact including, ““By January 1, 2025, new data centres operating at full capacity in cool climates will meet an annual PUE target of 1.3, and 1.4 for new data centres operating at full capacity in warm climates.”, however this goal is extended to 2030 for older facilities giving them more of a time to implement positive changes. Other goals include clean Energy quotas and % goals for WUE measures, Heat/ Power recovery and setting targets within a circular economy framework – recycling, repairing, and reusing components and equipment to a standard and % agreed by the group. All of these goals apply to any Data Center or server room with a potential IT Power demand capacity of 50kw or higher.