How do sustainable data centers work and what are their benefits?

Data centers are essential infrastructures in the digital society. They store and process vast amounts of information, from emails and financial transactions to multimedia content, social networks, and critical business operations.

However, data centers' operations entail significant energy consumption, both to keep them running and maintain them at the appropriate temperature, below 25°C.

A data center from any hyperscale provider (such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud) consumes as much energy as a small city with 80,000 households.

There are 7.2 million data centers worldwide, which collectively consume 1.1% of the global electricity supply, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Despite our growing appetite for data and dependence on it, this global percentage has remained relatively stable since 2010. This is even as internet users doubled, and internet traffic multiplied by 15 times. The key to this stability lies in energy efficiency and sustainable data centers.

✅ In 2018, data centers in the European Union (EU) consumed 76.8 TWh, and it is expected to increase to 98.52 TWh by 2030, a 28% increase.

This rise is significant in both absolute and relative terms, as data centers represented 2.7% of the EU's electricity demand in 2018 and is projected to reach 3.21% by 2030 if current trends continue.

Edge computing, driven by increased digitalization and the associated need to capture, transfer, and process more data, is also growing. Edge data centers accounted for 2% of data center energy consumption in 2018 and are expected to reach 12% by 2025.

Sustainable data centers, also known as Zero-Net-Energy (ZNE) data centers, are designed to be highly energy-efficient and, more importantly, to consume as much energy as they generate or even less, making them a net source of clean energy.

This achievement is made possible through a combination of advanced technologies, sophisticated management systems, and often renewable energy sources.

ZNE data centers drive digital societies while minimizing environmental impact.

"Although there is no magic solution, the next decade is expected to bring substantial advances towards data centers with a net-zero energy balance as emerging technologies are combined and integrated in innovative ways," says the World Economic Forum.

The goal: minimizing data center environmental impact

A ZNE data center aims to operate with a net-zero energy consumption. This means that over a year, the total energy consumed by the data center is equal to the renewable energy it generates or acquires. This is a crucial approach to ensuring that digital infrastructure is sustainable.

The solution lies in the rapid development of ZNE data centers, a concept that has become feasible by addressing:

Heat recycling cooling systems

One of the main challenges in data centers is managing excess heat generated by servers. To address this issue, liquid cooling systems use water or dielectric refrigerants to efficiently dissipate heat.

Importantly, excess heat is not wasted: it is repurposed for applications such as space heating, water heating, and industrial processes.

Real-time efficiency maximization through AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a fundamental role in the quest for net-zero-energy data centers. AI algorithms analyze and optimize energy consumption in real-time, ensuring maximum efficiency without compromising performance.

✅ In 2016, AI-driven energy management achieved up to 40% reduction in energy consumption in Google's data centers.

Modular and demand-based infrastructure

Net-zero-energy data centers are becoming modular and demand-based. "Cloud and Edge Computing systems allow data processing and storage to be distributed across multiple devices, systems, and even locations", WEF explains.

Modularity allows for easy expansion and adaptation, enabling businesses to adjust their infrastructure according to changing demands without wasting resources. They can deploy, expand, or relocate easily to optimize energy usage according to their evolving needs.

✅ Edge Computing enables data processing to occur closer to its source, reducing the need to transfer large amounts of data over long distances.

This not only improves latency and speed but also reduces the load on central data centers, decreasing their energy consumption.

Moreover, data centers' geographical distribution can more effectively harness local renewable energy sources.

Innovative software and hardware

Innovations in software and hardware are key to ZNE data centers. Novel computing architectures, such as System on Chip (SoC), have proven to be efficient alternatives. Additionally, "computing proportional to energy" is an optimization strategy, ensuring that servers and computers consume energy in proportion to the work they perform.

Renewable energy and intelligent storage

One of ZNE data centers' pillars is renewable energy adoption. Solar and wind energy are the most significant renewable energy sources, enabling data centers to get energy from clean and sustainable sources.

However, the true innovation lies in intelligent energy storage. Advanced batteries and storage systems allow data centers to accumulate excess energy when available and utilize it when needed, ensuring continuous and sustainable operation.

Conclusion

The idea behind ZNE data centers is simple yet effective: data centers that consume as much energy as they generate or less, resulting in making them a net source of clean energy. This concept is increasingly close to becoming a common reality thanks to technological advancements and changes in companies' environmental stances.

ZNE data centers have significant environmental benefits but can also be a competitive advantage for businesses.

This is despite the inherent challenges, from initial costs to regulations. Ultimately, the path to ZNE data centers requires technological innovation and a shift in mindset toward sustainability.