{"id":490134,"date":"2024-10-16T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=490134"},"modified":"2024-10-16T06:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T04:30:00","slug":"data-centers-energy-usage-soars-as-efficiency-improves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/data-centers-energy-usage-soars-as-efficiency-improves\/","title":{"rendered":"Data centers’ energy usage soars as efficiency improves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Watching a movie, browsing for flights, or booking a health check are just a few of the actions we do online every day. Data centers are essential to running these services to process, store, and distribute information. At the same time, AI developments need more computing capabilities and, consequently,  more computing power. According to the latest estimates<\/a> by the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity consumption from data centers can double by 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest IEA annual electricity review pointed out that the overall global electricity demand is set to grow in the next three years\u2014at up to a 3.4% rate in 2026. Data centers, AI, and cryptocurrencies are partially driving such growth. In 2022, data centers globally consumed an estimated 460 TWh of electricity, 2% of the world\u2019s electricity demand. Their total energy consumption in 2026 could reach over 1000 TWh\u2014 about the amount of electricity Japan consumes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Behind the Figures <\/h2>

In Behind the Figures<\/a>, we take a deep dive into one figure in every episode. Using charts and graphs, we break them down and provide context to help you make more sense of them.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How do data centers work, and what measures can they take to manage their energy consumption? Andrew van der Haar, a senior advisor for energy and sustainability at the Dutch Data Center Association (DDA<\/a>), helps us answer those questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different data centers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before delving into the details, it is necessary to give some definitions. There are two main kinds of data centers: colocation and hyperscale ones. Colocation data centers are owned by a company that sells space, computing power, and cooling to multiple companies in a single location. Colocation facilities are the go-to option for companies that need external processing power but cannot afford to have their own data center. A colocation center can serve hundreds and even thousands of customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hyperscale data centers (HDCs) have greater processing power and are owned and operated by a company they support, such as Google, Microsoft, or Apple. These infrastructures are needed for large-scale cloud and big data storage. HDCs have at least 5,000 servers and 929 m2<\/sup>\u2014or 10,000 square feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnergy management is easier when you own the data center because all operations are under your control. In colocation facilities, it all depends on what companies they serve. When serving business companies, most of the energy usage happens during the day, while an e-commerce platform always requires resources,\u201d Van Der Haar explains. Overall, it is all about the profile of each company.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n