DATA CENTRE DESIGN USED TO BE ABOUT PROVIDING A SCALABLE CAPACITY TO MEET DEMAND THAT WAS COST-EFFECTIVE , RESILIENT AND SECURE . NOW , AI DEMAND IS HAVING A SPECIFIC IMPACT ON RACK DESIGN , POWER DENSITY AND COOLING .
E X P E R T O P I N I O N igital infrastructure is
D accelerating due to demand , the impact of new technologies and the widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and Machine Learning ( ML ).
Estimates from IDC indicate that in 2023 , enterprises worldwide spent US $ 166 billion on AI solutions , covering software , hardware and services . However , the analyst has estimated growth of 27 % per year to US $ 423 billion by 2027 .
Data centre design used to be about providing a scalable capacity to meet demand that was cost-effective , resilient and secure . Now , AI demand is having a specific impact on rack design , power density and cooling , according to Schneider Electric ’ s research .
Today , there are many more elements to consider encompassing speed , scalability , resilience and reliability , and the specific needs of AI and other future compute-intensive workloads . and social perspective , such as in district heating systems .
And , when all of these considerations are met , future-proofing must be considered .
Modular architectures – created with digital design tools , leveraging best practices in design and the most efficient hardware from the outset – give designers the tools to create scalable facilities that embody all these principles . Initial design models can evolve into Digital Twins that can adoption and implementation of Environmental Product Declarations ( EPD ) across the industry . This allows designers and operators to know which items of equipment are the most efficient and low carbon intensity .
Increasingly , data centre operators and energy grid operators are entering into partnerships . The stable and continuous need for power from data centres allows them to sign long-term power contracts that can underpin the development of
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DATA CENTRE DESIGN USED TO BE ABOUT PROVIDING A SCALABLE CAPACITY TO MEET DEMAND THAT WAS COST-EFFECTIVE , RESILIENT AND SECURE . NOW , AI DEMAND IS HAVING A SPECIFIC IMPACT ON RACK DESIGN , POWER DENSITY AND COOLING .
Strategic considerations
A data centre strategy must incorporate minimising operational costs , carbon footprint and overall environmental impact , even as it provides the essential facilities of reliability and resilience .
Energy security and resilience means greater use of renewable energy sources ( RES ) from the outset is critical , to include on-site generation . Wind , Solar photovoltaic ( PV ) and hydro are all being seen in various geographies , with other facilities such as Battery Energy Storage Systems ( BESS ), also being deployed . These contribute to greater resilience , allowing operators to reduce grid reliance where needed .
The impact of other resource use , such as water , is also of prime consideration .
The triple considerations of power ( PUE ), water ( WUE ) and carbon emissions must figure highly , while also thinking about how individual facilities will integrate into the local environment from an economic serve as useful sandbox environments . Here , new configurations , permutations and developments can be tested for impact and effectiveness before being implemented in a live environment .
Sustainability and energy efficiency
Despite rising electricity consumption in data centres attracting much media coverage , there is still strong evidence to suggest that relentless innovation has kept efficiency at a very high level . Data centre capacity globally has grown at around 17 % annually in recent years , but energy consumption represents less than 2 % of total global energy demand .
Maintaining that record of capacity and efficiency , data centre operators can scale with the right strategy , while prioritising sustainability and business goals .
To help with this , Schneider Electric was a signatory of the recent iMasons open letter advocating for the widespread more renewable power . Power Purchase Agreements ( PPA ) give certainty to the RES market allowing more capacity to be brought safely online .
Future workloads driving density
Even as new workloads emerge , such as the growing adoption of AI , others such as the likes of blockchain-based supply chains and next-gen Fintech , are likely to continue density trends associated with compute-intensive workloads , with similar implications for space , power and cooling .
According to Schneider Electric research , we estimate that in 2023 , AI consumption was of the order of 4.5GW globally , but that will grow to between 14 – 18.7GW by 2028 . AI power consumption was 8 % of total data centre power in 2023 but will grow to represent between 15 – 20 % in the same period .
AI workloads were 95 % centrally deployed and 5 % Edge in 2023 ; by
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