F E A T U R E

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and adopt AI technologies has never been more pronounced . According to a report by Allied Market Research , the global AI data centre market is projected to reach US $ 90.46 billion by 2027 , with a compound annual growth rate of 20.9 %.

Across the CEEMETA region , we ’ re witnessing this momentum firsthand , as organisations strive to harness vast amounts of data while navigating challenges such as scalability , security and the need for real-time insights .

The rise of AI workloads , however , presents a dual challenge : increased energy demand and a pressing need for efficiency . While headlines highlight AI ’ s energy intensity , the strides made in data centre efficiency are remarkable . What once required six servers can now be achieved with one , drastically reducing energy use .

The evolution of cooling technologies is driven by the accelerating density levels in data centres . Where racks once operated at 5kW to 20 – 50kW , today ’ s cutting-edge designs are handling upwards of 100kW , with the potential to reach 400 – 500kW per rack soon . Liquid cooling and higher voltage power distribution have determined this change , enabling data centres to optimise for this expanded range while maintaining energy efficiency .

Looking ahead , our focus is on futureproofing data centres to power the coming wave of AI computing with modular designs , high-speed networking and advanced liquid cooling solutions to boost efficiency and flexibility .

The next era of data centre cooling is about more than energy efficiency ; it ’ s about creating adaptive , futureready solutions that address the environmental and operational demands of AI-driven workloads . This approach ensures that businesses can compete today while maintaining the agility to adopt tomorrow ’ s transformative technologies .

Dave King , Senior Principal Product Engineer , Cadence

From 2025 onwards , the data centre industry will see a substantial generational shift as seasoned professionals retire and younger , techsavvy talent bring specialised skills in AI , automation and sustainability .

Traditionally focused on physical infrastructure , data centre roles are evolving to require advanced technical skills like proficiency with simulation software such as Digital Twins . These tools are crucial in modern data centres for optimising energy use , airflow and resource allocation , marking a proactive shift toward efficiency and sustainability . Gen Z ' s entry into the workforce also brings a strong focus on purpose-driven careers , where sustainability is a core value . This generation ’ s commitment will likely drive more talent to the data centre industry as they hope to help promote greener practices , such as implementing advanced cooling methods , reducing inefficient resource utilisation and bringing down stranded capacity . these professionals assume leadership roles , data centres are set to become more agile , eco-friendly and resilient . This evolution will not only close the current skills gap but redefine the industry ’ s approach to sustainable innovation , positioning it for a future led by Gen Z ’ s commitment to impactful , environmentally conscious operations .

Ed Bissell , Sales & Marketing Director , Stellium Datacenters

Driven by HPC and AI , data centre power will continue to become more important than space . Until five years ago , in data centres with up to 3kW per square metre , the power density relationship between IT hall and engineering space was twoto-one in favour of internal IT space . This ratio has since reversed with HPC deployments of 50kW racks or more – it will shrink even more with even higher rack power densities making it virtually impossible for most existing data centres to scale the power to HPC requirements .

In turn , power demand will continue to put increased strain on the grid and drive further roll-outs and innovation in on-site renewable energy generation , such as solar PV as well as battery storage solutions for managing the supply of this energy for grid stabilisation . Power constraints will also play a key role in the continued move to regional locations for data centres , away from the FLAP-D markets . Where HPC deployments are concerned , the priority will be locating data centre sites capable of supporting 100MW plus deployments .

Chip developments by NVIDIA and AMD will remain pivotal to the data centre industry . The computing power of individual devices has skyrocketed , leading to more powerful and efficient data centre infrastructure . This is allowing the creation of larger and more complex applications and services with significant advances in AI , Machine Learning and data analytics .

Environmental sustainability will become even more of an issue : power and water usage efficiency , emissions and across the supply chain . Moving from on-premise to modern colocation data centres or putting more IT workloads into public or hybrid cloud setups will reduce much of the operational headaches in these respects . �

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