FEATURE
technologies , while minimising their environmental impact .
For data centres to be ready for the extreme demands of AI computing , they must be properly designed and operated . One approach is to place server racks closer together , in order to maximise the bandwidth capacity between servers . This also saves money on the overall cost of construction and therefore improves ROI on the infrastructure . The only issue with this approach is that it can interfere with certain cooling systems in the data centre . For example , the extreme airflow requirements of high-capacity servers , such as the NVIDIA DGX H100 , can mean that , when positioned too closely together , the systems blow against each other and create backpressure on the cooling fans within the equipment . So , data centre developers must balance the pros and cons in the design stage itself . Data centres also need to be structurally capable to handle and move very heavy AI computing cabinets .
How focusing on the green data centre can help
On the topic of data centre design , arguably the most obvious solution is to place the high-intensity compute required by AI technologies in data centres that are already designed to both handle this compute and do so in an energy-efficient and sustainable way .
A data centre campus that is powered by inexpensive and renewable energy sources is both cost and energy-efficient – meaning organisations can continue investing in innovative AI technologies , without having a disproportionate impact on the environment .
Many of today ’ s most energy-intensive applications are not latency-sensitive , meaning they can be placed in locations specifically chosen for these criteria .
Iceland is a great example . As the only country on the planet that is 100 % powered by renewable energy , this is the ideal location for high-intensity , powerhungry compute , such as that required by AI training models . Iceland ’ s temperate climate also enables free air cooling for data centre campuses in this location .
Likewise , other countries in the Nordics also offer year-round cool temperatures and more sustainable power sources that make them an attractive choice for organisations looking to revolutionise the sustainability of their power-intensive operations .
And for the 10 % or less of applications that are truly latency-sensitive and need to be closer to businesses , these can remain in metropolitan locations , like London .
By investing in sustainable data centre technology and placing high-intensity compute in the locations best optimised for renewable energy , the data centre industry and businesses alike can continue to innovate and deliver cutting-edge AI technologies , without destroying the planet . �
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