In almost every industry sustainability has found its way to the top of the priority list, even more in an industry that is in such high demand of power as the data center market. Both the global Paris Agreement (2015) and our own Climate Agreement (2018) enforce us to act smarter and more responsible with regard to the environment. The data center industry aims to contribute proactively on this matter and thrives to be one of the first industries reaching these goals.
The entire industry is fully electric and aims to run on electricity from sustainable resources. Almost all of this electricity is transformed into residual heat. Several residual heat projects have launched and residual heat of data centers has been classified as ‘renewable energy’. This means that data center residual heat can make a significant contribution to run sustainable district heating systems. Despite the industry’s efforts to move forward on these projects, additional (governmental) support is needed.
The larger the data center, the more energy-efficient it is. By utilizing the latest technologies and innovations, data centers are able to reduce their energy use. Even with the significant growth of the amount of data processing, data centers are able to keep the growth of energy consumption limited. However, data centers concentrate the need for electricity and the electricity networks and substations have never been designed like this. To keep our digital economy going, we must continue to provide our data centers with sustainable electricity.
The GDC is the yearly conference of datacenters and her stakeholder regarding sustainability and efficiency within the sector.
For years, the GDC has been a vital event for the datacenter sector.
CNDCP has 5 main focuses: Energy efficiency; 100% CO2-free energy; keeping down water-use; circularity; data thermal energy.
The DDA has been a part of this pact since the beginning.
The DDA publishes reports such as ‘Datathermie in Perspectief’. This report explores the possibilities of using heat created by datacenters. This thermal energy can be used as a sustainable way to heat up houses.
A list of projects in the Netherlands regarding residual heat usage can be found here.
We support data centers in implementing the Energy Saving Measures from the Recognized Measures List or ‘Erkende Maatregelenlijst’ (EML). One of the measures for which data centers require additional support during implementation is the FI2 measure. To address this, we have developed a methodology in collaboration with NLdigital and ODNL.
Data centers in the Netherlands contribute to a concentration of energy consumption. This consumption is amplified by the emergence of clusters of data centers, as we currently see in Amsterdam. These clusters have a significant impact on power networks and substations, which were not designed with widespread electrification or data centers in mind. The speed of the network and existing regulations are not equipped to grow alongside the digital economy. A key objective of the DDA is to ensure that data centers can continue to be supplied with sustainably generated electricity.
Power distribution in the Netherlands is highly regulated. This has made the Dutch power grid one of the most reliable in the world. However, it also makes it challenging to keep up with the transition to a digital economy and changes in energy usage. The DDA advocates for more flexibility in legislation. Distribution networks must be able to plan further ahead and expand capacity in their cables and substations earlier. This requires enabling investment opportunities for network operators.
Data centers produce a significant amount of heat. This heat, generated by renewable electricity, is still too often released into the open air and thus wasted. The DDA is actively working to initiate and accelerate data-thermal projects. By using the waste heat from these data centers to heat homes, offices, and swimming pools, we can also reduce CO2 emissions. For this reason, the Dutch data center sector decided in 2017 to offer its waste heat free of charge to the Dutch government. Since the end of 2018, data-thermal energy has been classified as “renewable energy” under the BENG standards. Additionally, the DDA organizes the annual Green Data Center Conference, where stakeholders share knowledge to take the next steps toward a sustainable, circular economy.
The rapid growth of the digital economy has made an increase in energy consumption within data centers inevitable. However, we can work to minimize this growth as much as possible. Hosting IT in data centers is, in itself, a way to promote energy efficiency. By consolidating more IT infrastructure into large data centers, energy costs can be reduced. Data centers are significantly more efficient in their energy use compared to smaller server locations, such as IT rooms in companies. Through economies of scale, data centers can, for example, lower energy costs for cooling and the electricity needed to power all equipment.
Data centers also reduce their energy consumption by investing in new technologies and energy-efficient equipment, which is not always feasible for smaller companies. The DDA actively supports innovations in cooling technologies (such as smart cooling and water cooling), heat storage, photonics, and new construction methods that can, over time, lower the energy consumption of data centers. These topics are also highlighted during the annual Green Data Center Conference.
Policy Maker Energy & Sustainability
E: andrew@dutchdatacenters.nl
T: +31 20 30 37 860
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