THIS IS DRIVING THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE REVISED STRATEGIES WHICH SUPPORTS THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION .
EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
he Middle East is experiencing
T exponential growth in Digital Transformation . Throughout the region , businesses are embracing technology to improve services , in parallel with the reliance on cloud-based services and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence ( AI ).
The necessity for growth within the technology sector is clear and the demand for investment and development of data centres is surging .
Subsequently , countries such as Saudi Arabia , United Arab Emirates ( UAE ), Bahrain , Oman and Qatar have introduced regulations and initiatives to attract global operators , offering ease of registration , trade and relaxed taxation . Grid interactive technologies are being rolled out in Europe with successful implementation by certain hyperscalers , but it ’ s still to take root in the Middle East . This is anticipated to change with ambitious targets to increase renewable technologies . The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to increase the share of renewable energy from 25 % to 50 % in the total energy mix by 2050 as such technology can assist with grid stability and frequency supporting the renewable energy mix in the grid .
These targets present and require a collective determination from the Middle East data centre industry . We all acknowledge that sustainable and efficient design based on extreme environmental conditions is an undoubted challenge .
The investment in cooling systems contributes to the major share of more than 60 % of the mechanical infrastructure due to the high temperatures and we are continually seeking ways to improve efficiency . We are also witnessing the rise of high-density cooling and the transition to different forms of liquid cooling is being seen throughout the Middle East region . This is driving the adoption of new technologies to accommodate the revised strategies which supports the significant reduction of energy consumption for cooling while improving the overall performance of servers .
The use of free cooling technologies in heat rejection is nothing new , but with the introduction of increased data hall temperatures and liquid cooling , free cooling can be maximised .
Couple this with the need to reduce annualised PUE figures , there is an ongoing need to continuously assess how free cooling can be effectively implemented on all projects . Most facilities in the Middle East are developed to operate at a peak PUE in a range 1.5 to 1.7 . Although for developments which have adopted partial free cooling during peak winters , the aim is to
THIS IS DRIVING THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE REVISED STRATEGIES WHICH SUPPORTS THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION .
operate at a peak PUE of less than 1.4 . Many free cooling strategies exist with the general consideration that the use of adiabatic cooling for heat rejection is not welcomed due to the precious nature of water , but there are certain regions in the Middle East such as Dubai where separate Treated Sewage Effluent ( TSE ) networks exist .
In conclusion , the future of the Middle East ' s data centre industry shines brightly . With global governments ’ leading aspirations , a growing emphasis on digitalisation and the increasing adoption of cloud computing , IoT and Big Data , this sector promises continued growth . �
JAMIE DARRAGH , TECHNICAL DIRECTOR , BLACK & WHITE ENGINEERING
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