FEATURE : DATA CENTRE SOLUTIONS
to account for around 1 % of global electricity consumption and according to an article shared by McKinsey , the world ’ s largest tech organisations allocated US $ 9 billion to build out new capacity in 2022 , a number expected to grow by over 4 % annually until 2030 .
Since its inception , the data centre industry has spent much time in isolation , only recently breaking mainstream headlines due to its energy and projected environmental impact . The timing of media interest has coincided with new regulations and legislation including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ( CSRD ) and the Energy Efficiency Directive ( EED ), both of which are set to change the sector for the better .
From an industry standpoint , the gap between sustainable intent and action has grown considerably . On the one hand , data centre operators have led the charge , providing a template for energy-intensive industries to decarbonise . On the other , analysts have stated the industry isn ’ t as far down the path to net zero as statements of intent would have us believe . Forrester , for example , found that while 73 % of colocation providers ranked sustainability as their second business priority , only 33 % had created a strategic sustainability plan .
Regardless of the current position , business leaders across the sector including investors , C-level executives and engineers state that sustainability remains right at the top of the business agenda . I believe this year we ’ ll see many stakeholders accelerate efforts to make their infrastructure and organisations more sustainable .
The use of emerging technologies , coupled with close collaboration between businesses , utilities , local communities and governments across the UK and Ireland alike can help close the sustainability gap further . These might include new initiatives to reuse waste heat from data centres in district heating systems , or building decentralised energy capabilities , such as microgrids , to reduce reliance on an already congested grid .
Energy crisis : A catalyst for efficiency
The energy crisis has also served as a prominent reminder that both businesses and consumers can ’ t take anything for granted . With spiralling energy costs wreaking havoc on business and industry , operational and energy efficiency have become financial and environmental points of differentiation .
Power prices , for example , have been a catalyst for a new-found focus on energy efficiency and sustainability and both have made these ever-more essential criteria in end-user decision-making . I believe that during the year ahead , greater adoption of advanced software tools , including Data Centre Infrastructure Management ( DCIM ) platforms and greater use of automation will be vital for those seeking to maximise power and cooling efficiencies or improve long-trusted metrics such as Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ). Furthermore , for legacy systems , the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics
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