REIT ASIAPAC
stacked one on the other , would reach the nearest star system , Alpha Centauri , 600 times .
The consequences of all that data ? A supersized carbon footprint . The International Energy Agency says data centres are currently responsible for one per cent of global electricity . But with big data exploding , this figure is expected to rise .
Saving Kilowatts
We are seeing significant investment in advanced water-cooling technology , renewable energy and green power purchase agreements , for example . But I echo the sentiments of Oliver Jones , CEO of Chayora , who recently opened one of the world ’ s largest data centres in Tianjin . He says : “ The best kilowatt is the kilowatt you never use .”
A large proportion of data centre power is used for cooling . While free air cooling is much cheaper and less carbon-intensive than mechanical cooling , many key markets in the Asia Pacific are tropical environments with hot temperatures which limit the use of free cooling . It may seem to make more sense to build a data centre in Stockholm than in Singapore . But data sovereignty laws , latency demand and logistics all drive location decisions .
Many of the sector ’ s leaders are looking to renewable energy sources , such as solar , wind , hydro , geothermal and biofuels , and the solutions are becoming increasingly technologically advanced .
For example , Barcelona ’ s supercomputer is housed in the 1940s Torre Girona Chapel . Google transformed an abandoned paper mill in Hamina , Finland , into a data centre cooled entirely by seawater . Green Mountain ’ s facility in Stavanger , Norway , is buried deep underground within a cold war-era ammunition store .
Despite the potential for vast roof space , few data centres are fully solar-powered . They may be feasible in sunny countries with lots of space – notably Australia and Spain – but also require vast roof space . Hydro is emerging as the preferred solution in many parts of the world because the sun doesn ’ t need to shine or the wind blow .
Water Worries
Then there ’ s another side to the sustainability story . Keeping the rows of powerful computers inside a data centre from overheating requires up to 19 million litres of water a day – the same amount of water as a city of as many as 50,000 people .
A lot of the data centre leaders are investing in smart design and fine spray technology that minimises water consumption . They are developing closed-loop systems that recycle the water required for cooling . Some tenants now include WUE – Water Usage Effectiveness – requirements in their tenders , alongside PUE , or Power Usage Effectiveness .
Water may be cheaper than electricity – for now . There may not be a commercial driver to save water in many parts of the world . But more than a billion people lack access to safe drinking water . Expect the leaders to get serious about sustainable water , or the future cost may be much higher than bigger water bills .
Smart And Sustainable ?
Meeting the challenges of net-zero energy and water in the zettabyte era won ’ t be easy .
We expect to see further layers of complexity in administration and accountancy , which will require far more superior backend systems than business-as-usual . The days of spreadsheet reporting are well and truly behind us .
The data centre sector is at a crossroads beset with obstacles , but the opportunities are also enormous . The players who are most agile and flexible – with a laser focus on net-zero – are those poised to capitalise in the zettabyte era .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With 30 + years ’ experience dedicated to real estate and technology , Bernie Devine is a leader in digital transformation in real estate and using data to create a more competitive and collaborative environment .
His expertise includes asset and investment management , private equity , operations improvement , program and project management , finance , technology implementation and compliance .
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