David Watkins, solutions director for VIRTUS Data Centres
We all know that the internet is powering the way we live and work – with wired and wireless digital connectivity a fundamental component of healthcare systems, remote working and learning, e-commerce, and public service delivery. It has to live somewhere, usually in data centres, and energy is needed to keep it running. However, whilst consuming large volumes of energy, it’s still more efficient to centralise IT resources in modern data centres than relying upon on-premise storage solutions.
Being responsible with the use of energy and making operations as efficient as possible, data centres have already made great strides in reducing the impact they have on the environment Indeed for many experts, 2022 is already shaping up to surpass everything that’s gone before and become the year of meeting environmental commitments. Many data centre operators have embraced renewable energy sources and striven to make major efficiencies in areas like power and cooling – as well as committing to green building practices for the long term.
But what’s next? What can data centre operators be doing today to get ahead of the game on mandatory climate change and environmental sustainability commitments and reduce their environmental impact?
A holistic strategy
Data centre users can rest assured that the savviest data centre providers are focusing on delivering a holistic green strategy, where environmental ambitions are built into every step of construction and maintenance.
When it comes to building facilities, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) standards look at the green credentials of commercial buildings, verifying their performance and comparing them against sustainability benchmarks. BREEAM measures sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology. Each of these categories addresses the most influential factors, including low impact design and carbon emissions reduction; design durability and resilience; adaption to climate change; and ecological value and biodiversity protection. As well as the commitment to meeting BREEAM specifications, many providers also employ a modular build methodology to deploy capacity as and when required. This drives up utilisation, and maximises efficiency (both from an operational and cost perspective).
When examining plant management, there are now many technologies and methodologies which can be deployed to drive efficiency. Examples of this include highly efficient Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), where unused capacity can “hibernate” to reduce electrical losses. Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units are typically equipped with variable speed fans, that will regulate in line with demand to reduce energy consumption. Pumps are equipped with variable speed drives, that again will regulate in line with demand to reduce consumption. And, chillers often have “free cooling” functionality, where within defined and acceptable temperature ranges cooling can be provided at a much lower cost. This is achieved by allowing chilled water to by-pass an existing chiller and run through the free cooling system, which uses less power and the lower ambient air temperature to cool the water. Ground and air source heat pumps are also being deployed, along with local energy generation, all making use of clean, naturally available resources.
Evolution not revolution
It’s important to remember that there is already a great deal of good work being done in the data centre industry to meet its sustainability obligations – and which we will see grow and evolve over the year ahead.
The ability of data centre providers to harness renewable energy sources has been game-changing in the industry’s pursuit of a greener future. Many providers, such as VIRTUS, now use 100 per cent renewable energy, from sources like hydro, wind and solar. And the great news is that renewable energy is now not only more affordable than fossil fuels, but can also be more reliable.
Data centre providers have also been looking closely at the fuel sources they use – and making significant progress is being made on this front too. The use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil instead of diesel in our generators has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent – as well as eliminating sulphur dioxide emissions and reducing harmful nitrogen oxides.
And there’s plenty of forward-looking innovation happening too which promises to pay dividends in the long term. Technological developments in areas such as fuel cells are continuing at a pace – and while they’re not viable right now, if they can perform at scale, they might present a compelling option for future green data centre power.
A collaborative future
So, the future looks bright for the data centre industry and its customers – with many providers working hard to look at all the things that they can do to meet their most pressing sustainability goals, from design and construction, to getting the most out of equipment and managing partners in the supply chain. We know that reducing a facility’s carbon footprint requires more than making tweaks at an existing site, and the great news is that many providers now realise that being green starts even before they get to the construction phase – putting time and effort into designing sustainable facilities and using low- carbon materials, which are fit for the future.
But no company is an island, and the industry must work together to solve its green challenges. From sharing best practice to setting up multi party task forces, there is scope for more collaboration. Indeed, it’s only by working together that we will make the necessary steps to truly green this power-hungry industry.
