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Business
COOLING THE DATA CENTRE : EXPLORING NEXT-GENERATION DATA CENTRE SOLUTIONS
Compiled by Eamonn Ryan
Data centre operators are under increasing pressure to meet sustainability goals and address their carbon footprint .
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According to Harvard Business Review , 99 % of large company CEOs agree that sustainability forms a vital part of their business ’ future success .
Furthermore , 75 % of investment executives agree that a company ’ s sustainability performance is important when making investment decisions , says MIT Sloan Management . Establishing sustainable data centre operations should be a prominent driver in organisations ’ efforts to meet their net zero goals .
Data centre sustainability was also an ever-pervasive theme at the most recent AfricaCom , the continent ’ s premier technology and telecommunications event , held on 14 – 16 November 2023 at the CTICC in Cape Town . At AfricaCom , Schneider Electric showcased its prefabricated modular and micro data centres which are optimised for scalable and sustainable operations .
Mourad Younes , C & SP Segment leader , MEA at Schneider Electric addressed delegates at AfricaCom discussing the topic Powering the Digital Age : Exploring Next-Generation Data Centre Solutions .
In his presentation , Mourad spoke to the fact that “ Data centre operators around the world are increasingly recognising the imperative of sustainability , and Schneider Electric is at the forefront of this transformation , offering solutions that enable data centres to operate energy efficiently while meeting organisations ’ net zero goals .”
“ Our TradeOff tool for Data Centre Lifecycle Carbon Assessment , for example , enables operators to calculate a datacentre ’ s lifecycle carbon footprint based on various attributes , such as cooling characteristics , IT capacity , load ratio , equipment specifications and power characteristics ,” explained Mourad .
Further , “ The seismic shift brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst , propelling us into an era of intensified digitalisation . Face-to-face interactions waned , replaced by a surge in the use of digital devices for meeting management and collaboration . This digital metamorphosis in turn triggered an energy transition , calling for an unprecedented demand for electrification , cooling included .”
STRATEGIC OUTLOOK : 2020 TO 2030 The trajectory from 2020 to 2030 is marked by an astronomical growth in connected products , with the proliferation of IoT devices
RACA Journal I April 2024 and remote infrastructures . This surge is projected to be six times that of previous years . Simultaneously , the growth of IP traffic is set to skyrocket , posing a 140-fold increase from 2020 to 2030 . These staggering statistics highlight the impending surge in electricity demand which , over the next decade , is anticipated to double from the consumption levels of the previous two decades .
Surveying the landscape of the next 12 months , the
Mourad Younes , C & SP Segment leader , MEA at Schneider Electric .
paramount business priorities include profitability , sustainability and digital transformation . Schneider Electric asserts that sustainability is the linchpin , serving as a pivotal lever for driving digital transformation . Contrary to the misconception that sustainability is an expensive endeavour , sustainability is , in fact , a strategic imperative that enhances profitability and accelerates digital transformation efforts .
By doing so , organisations can unlock greater profitability and propel their digital transformation initiatives . Sustainability , when integrated into the fabric of strategic planning , fosters a mindset conducive to driving future-ready data centres .
At the core of Schneider Electric ' s philosophy is the belief that the fusion of energy , cooling and automation is paramount for achieving full efficiency throughout the entire data centre ecosystem . This extends from energy processes to endpoints and clouds , ensuring transparency at every stage of the data lifecycle .
Schneider Electric introduces the concept of a digital twin , a comprehensive tool designed to provide a clear and detailed picture of the entire data centre lifecycle . From initial design to ongoing operations and maintenance , the digital twin serves as a virtual replica , offering visibility and insights for efficient and sustainable management .
A pragmatic approach involves understanding the total carbon footprint , differentiating between scope one , two and three
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Supplied by Schneider Electric