Artificial intelligence is an astounding leap in technology that is driving change across the global economy. No longer the preserve of academics or exclusive to huge corporations, AI is now in the hands of small businesses and individuals. It’s a powerful tool made more accessible and affordable.
But this wider reach is taking its toll on the environment. A report by Goldman Sachs notes that, on average, a ChatGPT query needs nearly 10 times more electricity to process as a standard Google search.
As a result, Goldman Sachs estimates that data centres will use 3% to 4% of global power by 2030, up from 1% to 2% today. The environmental implications are significant: data centre CO2 emissions could double between now and 2030.
This burst of energy demand comes at a time when data centres had been stabilising their energy use. The Uptime Institute noted that average PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) had reached a high average of between 1.55 and 1.59 up to 2020. But since that point, improvements have plateaued.
Another approach is reusing heat extracted from data centres which is otherwise wasted
Shahid Rahman EMEA Data Centre Strategic Account Lead
Energy efficient growth
So, the challenge today and in the next decade, is to support the global use of AI while optimising energy efficiency and reducing the data centre sector’s carbon footprint. As the Uptime Institute notes: “Capacity and scrutiny with growth”.
As a result of this scrutiny – and rising energy costs - the ‘hyperscalers’ such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google and Microsoft have set themselves global targets on increasing their use of renewable energy and carbon reduction.
The sustainability credentials of data centres are becoming more important here in the UK, where the sector is set for significant growth. One example is the new Humber Tech Park AI data centre which has recently received planning permission, as well as continued growth in data centre hubs such as Slough. Blackpool has also now set its sights on developing Silicon Sands as a new UK data centre campus.
But unchecked energy use from data centres will make UK goals for increasing renewable electricity generation and achieving Net Zero 2050 harder to achieve.
Heat problems
The main problem for data centres is that their operations produce heat that must be constantly removed from the IT systems which fail if temperatures rise beyond their tolerance levels. According to RICS, cooling uses around 40% of a data centre’s total power consumption.
Energy efficient cooling is therefore a top priority for data centre developers and designers. But with advances in data centre technology, selecting the right cooling solution is increasingly complex. For example, while delivering enough cooling for the building needs is vital, it’s equally important not to over-cool and increase energy consumption.
Mitsubishi Electric’s specialist IT cooling products to meet a range of cooling requirements: from low density of less than 5kW cooling per rack to high density of over 15kW per rack. This range of products allows us to work with data centre designers to reach the correct balance of cooling and efficiency.
Reusing heat
Another approach that is gathering interest is the reuse of heat extracted from data centres.
Although it’s a relatively new approach to the UK, it’s a technique that has been widely used in other parts of Europe. Mitsubishi Electric has been involved in several heat reuse projects in Norway and Ireland.
Heat reuse from data centres sits well with the UK’s heat decarbonisation goals, particularly with the government’s support for sustainable heat networks. The reuse of waste heat is theoretically straightforward, with several tried-and-tested technology options on the market.
If you’d like to learn more about this approach, take a look at our recent publication Data Centres: Heat reuse for a low carbon future.
The challenge for data centre designers and operators is to achieve massive growth without hampering the world’s progress to reducing carbon emissions. Since cooling is such a critical aspect of operations and emissions, it’s vital to understand what options will work best for your project.
Mitsubishi Electric’s experienced team of engineers can work with you to deliver optimised cooling, not just with equipment, but with ideas on how the latest technology can be applied for your project.
Shahid Rahman is EMEA Data Centre Strategic Account Lead
