Solutions to cut your AI emissions

Article by Datacentre Magazine 27 January 2025

The climate crisis is the subject of many global conversations, with many worldwide demanding immediate action. How data centers can address existing sustainability challenges and prevent emerging technologies like AI from worsening the climate crisis is mentioned in the article by Datacentre Magazine.

AI-led data centers, in particular, are consuming vast amounts of energy. Data center electricity usage is expected to double by 2026, with AI generating a 160% increase in power demand.

Key Facts:
• Nearly two-thirds of organizations plan significant Gen AI investments in the next two years.
• Over 90% are exploring enterprise-wide Gen AI opportunities.

5 key solutions for data centers to be more sustainable:

1. Reducing e-waste: Proper recycling and disposal of hardware help cut e-waste and preserve resources, reducing the need for raw material extraction and preventing pollution.
2. Reusing waste heat: Leveraging heat from IT equipment for applications like district heating can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Leading data center company atNorth is already implementing the technology in Iceland to help meet AI and high-performance computing (HPC) needs in a more environmentally friendly way.
3. Conserving water: Using less water for cooling through hybrid evaporative systems can reduce both water and electricity consumption, with Microsoft leading the way with water-free cooling systems.
4. Investing in renewable energy: Using renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro, and securing power purchase agreements (PPAs) can make data centers more energy efficient. Improving power usage effectiveness (PUE) remains crucial as AI demands rise.
5. Innovative cooling solutions: Advanced cooling technologies, such as direct-to-chip liquid cooling and immersion cooling, help manage heat from high-performance computing systems and reduce energy consumption.

These solutions are essential for making data centers more sustainable while supporting the growing demand for computing power.

Read the whole article here