The heat is on for data centres to become sustainable . But can they succeed ? Paddy Smith takes the temperature
Data makes the world go round , but at what cost ? As companies collect and process ever more data in their quest for efficiency , data centres are fighting on twin fronts : keeping costs under control and trying to improve their sustainability credentials . In the short term , the two don ’ t go hand in hand . So is the data centre destined to become the next combustion engine – a luxury we can ’ t do without , even as it threatens the planet as we know it – or can it redeem itself before it causes too much damage ?
Some estimates claim data centres will use a fifth of the world ’ s available electricity by 2025 . The EU ’ s Green Deal stipulates that data centres can and should be carbon neutral by 2030 . How do we get there ? In fact , can we get there ? Surely the advance of automation , data analytics , 5G and cloud computing , not to mention the ubiquity of video calling , will outstrip the industry ’ s efforts to clean house ?
33 technologymagazine . com