The state of the modern data center industry is best summed up by a comment from an artificial intelligence (AI) expert in a recent Data Center Frontier white paper: “We are in the wild, wild west right now. There are no rules.”
The publication says that data centers are at a critical juncture in our increasingly digital-first world, becoming larger and requiring more power than ever to meet the seemingly insatiable demands of AI.
“On average, a ChatGPT query needs nearly 10 times as much electricity to process as a Google search. In that difference lies a coming sea change in how the US, Europe, and the world at large will consume power — and how much that will cost,” says Goldman Sachs Research. “For years, data centers displayed a remarkably stable appetite for power, even as their workloads mounted. Now, as the pace of efficiency gains in electricity use slows and the AI revolution gathers steam, Goldman Sachs Research estimates that data center power demand will grow 160 percent by 2030.”
As society’s reliance on technology grows, so do the pitfalls for the data center industry: increased costs, grid instability, regulatory backlash, operational bottlenecks, and maybe most concerning, environmental impact.
“Data centers are getting bigger, denser, and more power-hungry than ever,” says the white paper, pointing out the average capacity per data center building in 2002 rose to 132,000 square feet, with cloud service providers now requiring an average of 205,000 square feet, and mega facilities reaching a mind-boggling 550,000 square feet. “Such mega-facilities have an almost insatiable demand for more power. A surge in demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads is accelerating these trends.”
These new power demands come when data centers already consume an estimated 1 to 2 percent of global electricity.
The good news is that data center operators are not just standing pat but are embracing sustainability initiatives.
“They seek to drastically lower their carbon footprints by adopting renewable energy and achieving ever-higher levels of power efficiency,” says the white paper.
Let’s look closer at the best practices for sustainable data center operations, focusing on energy efficiency and emissions reduction.
Implementing energy-efficient practices is crucial for reducing the environmental footprint of data centers. Here are some key strategies:
“The solution lies in both a modernization of the power infrastructure and a redoubling of efforts to boost energy efficiency,” concludes the white paper. “Internally, advanced power management systems must become commonplace inside data centers.”
Beyond energy efficiency, data centers must focus on reducing their overall carbon footprint.
“Data centers are increasingly subject to rules and regulations that require they meet specific emissions, power usage, sustainability, and net-zero targets,” says the white paper.
Here are some emissions reduction strategies:
Sustainability should be a priority from the ground up in data center design.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification provides a framework for green building design:
Key considerations in sustainable data center design include:
As technology evolves, new opportunities for sustainability emerge including edge computing.
The rise of edge computing could lead to more distributed, smaller data centers:
Other innovative solutions that are being developed include:
Sustainable data center operations are no longer optional but a necessity. By implementing energy efficiency best practices, focusing on emissions reduction, and embracing innovative technologies, data centers can significantly reduce their environmental impact.
DCS takes a consultative approach to designing, manufacturing and installing fiber connectivity solutions. We believe as we move forward as an industry, it’s crucial for data center operators to:
By prioritizing sustainability, the data center industry can continue to support our digital world while minimizing its impact on the physical one.
We are committed to working with our partners to build a sustainable future for all.