How Schneider Electric Supports Data Centre Sustainability
As digital technology continues to evolve, the energy demands of data centres are rising rapidly, and with them, a growing concern over the environmental impact these facilities have.
AI computations increasing to create more complex and comprehensive models is putting strain on data centre infrastructure, and the energy required to power them, leading to a sharp increase in carbon emissions. Data centres are the backbone of AI innovation, but their operations can have a significant environmental impact.
In response, Schneider Electric, alongside partners like EfficiencyIT, is tackling this challenge head-on, driving initiatives that aim to make data centres more sustainable while keeping pace with the growing computational demands of AI.
AI's impact on energy use and carbon emissions
AI has revolutionised industries across the globe, but its success comes at an environmental cost. Data centres, essential for processing vast amounts of AI-generated data, are facing rising energy demands. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that, as of 2022, data centres accounted for up to 1.5% of global electricity consumption.
With global electricity demand expected to double by 2026, the data centre sector is under immense pressure to implement greener practices to stay on track with net-zero targets.
Schneider Electric's solutions to this surge of energy use can be seen in its collaboration with EfficiencyIT at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, one of Europe’s leading independent research establishments in genomic research and bioinformatics. Located in Cambridge, this 4.5 MW genomic data centre handles critical scientific operations, and its energy demands have been rising sharply as the institute pushes forward with cutting-edge research.
Using its EcoStruxure IT Advisor alongside bespoke infrastructure management software, Schneider Electric's solution aims to improve decision making through data analytics, machine learning and intelligent power monitoring to increase visibility across the entire data centre. This system allows for real-time energy management, minimising waste and ensuring that the energy demands of AI do not overwhelm the infrastructure.
"Data centres, HPC, and AI have been integral to the life science sector for decades, and play a vital role in global lifesaving research, from cancer and dementia to infectious diseases."
This is vital as the The Wellcome Sanger Institute has also invested in high-performance computing (HPC) and GPU technology, mainly from Nvidia, in a bid to boost its computational throughput by 50%. This powerful infrastructure is enabling the institute to participate in a wider array of research ventures.
This raft of solutions is intended to help significantly reduce energy consumption, with Schneider pushing to reduce the institute's energy usage by 33%.
The key to overcoming these challenges lies in both optimising AI workloads and investing in sustainable infrastructure. Schneider Electric’s contributions to the sector include not just software solutions but also intelligent hardware like the APC Rack PDUs, which enable precise tracking of energy use. This level of control ensures that every component of a data centre operates as efficiently as possible, reducing the overall energy demand while maintaining performance.
Data centres fit for the future
Looking ahead, the drive for sustainability in data centres will need to evolve in tandem with AI developments. Schneider Electric has already shown its commitment to this future by supporting modular and scalable data centre projects that meet both operational and environmental demands.
One such example is its involvement in deploying a new modular data centre at The Pirbright Institute, scheduled for September 2024. This facility will be equipped to handle the latest AI-driven workloads, ensuring that research into infectious diseases can be conducted without compromising on sustainability.
Schneider’s modular approach offers significant advantages, including the ability to scale infrastructure based on current demand while reducing the need for large, energy-hungry permanent installations. This flexibility is key in an era where AI continues to push data centre capabilities to their limits.
In a world where AI is becoming ubiquitous, Schneider Electric’s efforts are setting a benchmark for sustainability. By optimising energy use and promoting intelligent, flexible infrastructure, it is helping ensure that data centres can continue to evolve alongside AI, without leaving an unsustainable environmental legacy in their wake.
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