The data centre industry is at the forefront of the global sustainability movement, with leading operators taking bold steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, a pledge signed by over 100 industry players, has set ambitious targets that are driving this transformation.
Energy Efficiency: Optimizing Power Usage
Data centres are implementing aggressive Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) targets, with the Pact requiring an annual PUE of 1.3 for new data centres in cool climates and 1.4 in warm climates by 2025. Existing facilities must meet these targets by 2030. Strategies like hot/cold aisle containment, free air cooling, liquid cooling systems, and raising operating temperatures are being employed to improve cooling efficiency.
Additionally, data centres are adopting energy-efficient servers, storage devices like SSDs, server virtualization, and decommissioning underutilized “ghost” servers to reduce overall energy consumption.
Renewable Energy: Powering a Sustainable Future
The Pact mandates that data centre electricity demand be matched by 75% renewable or carbon-free energy by 2025 and 100% by 2030. Operators are procuring renewable energy through on-site installations like wind and solar farms, as well as purchasing renewable energy credits.
Water Conservation.
Minimizing Environmental Impact
Data centres are implementing water usage effectiveness (WUE) targets and utilizing water-efficient cooling technologies like rear-door heat exchangers and ultrasonic humidification to minimize water consumption, a crucial step towards environmental sustainability.
Circular Economy: Embracing Responsible Practices
The Pact requires data centre operators to reuse, repair, and recycle 100% of their used server equipment. Additionally, they are exploring opportunities to interconnect with district heating systems, enabling the reuse of waste heat in an environmentally sound and cost-effective manner.
Leading the Charge
By adopting these comprehensive measures focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, and circular economy principles, leading data centre operators are paving the way towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 as pledged under the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact. This industry-wide commitment to sustainability is setting a precedent for other sectors to follow, driving a global transition towards a greener, more sustainable future.
Guiding the Transition
DvC Consultants is actively working with clients to implement these sustainability initiatives within their data centre operations. Our team of experts provides strategic guidance and technical expertise to help organizations meet aggressive PUE targets, procure renewable energy, optimize water usage, and adopt circular economy practices.
By partnering with DvC Consultants, clients can navigate the complexities of achieving carbon neutrality while ensuring business continuity and operational excellence. Together, we are driving the data centre industry’s transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
For more information about DvC Consultants contact q.anderson@dvcconsultants.com
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