News


From the Editor's desk: Data centre power consumption set to triple

September 2018 News

The Internet has become an indispensable part of modern society but we have created a monster, and it’s getting bigger every day. The world’s data centres – those global stores for the estimated 1200 petabytes (1,2 million terabytes) of data currently held online – consumed just over 416 terawatts of power last year. Put into perspective, this is close to 40% more than it took to power the entire United Kingdom, or about 3% of global energy supply. By extrapolation, it means data centres are also currently responsible for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

If those figures made your head spin, the future will quite simply horrify you. According to British data centre expert, Professor Ian Bitterlin of the University of Leeds, trends show that the demand for energy by data centres is set to double every four years. In other words, by the end of the next decade data centres will consume triple the amount of power they do today. The carbon footprint associated with the industry will of course also rise by a proportional amount.

In fact, Bitterlin goes as far as to suggest that this level of data centre growth will not be sustainable beyond the next 15 years, unless we find better ways of doing things. By 2030, Japan’s data centres, for instance, will consume its entire electricity supply based on today’s growth rates. The issue gets even thornier when one considers that with the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and blockchain all in their infancy, these projections for data storage and computing requirements might be on the conservative side.

Orthodox technology advances probably not enough

While we can certainly expect to see rapid advances in clean energy generation and computer efficiency over the next 10 years, experts are not sure these will be sufficient. On the energy side, DC power distribution systems are becoming technically viable as a more efficient alternative to their AC counterparts. When one considers that the electricity produced by solar panels is DC to start with, the creation of HV or MV DC distribution infrastructure makes economic sense. Among others, both ABB and GE are investing in these areas. Another plus for DC is that advances in battery efficiency are sure to accelerate as the demand for electric vehicles increases, much as what happened in the cellular phone market.

If only it were that simple. What complicates the situation though is that a large portion of the power consumed by data centres is used to keep the electronics cool. Since this is mostly achieved through cooling fans driven by large AC motors, much of the benefit of DC grid efficiency will be lost in the conversion back to AC. Given the speed at which this problem is unfolding, together with the longish timescales associated with power distribution projects, it seems likely that a green energy solution is not practical without significantly more investment in renewable infrastructure.

This leaves two obvious alternatives: regulation (maybe some kind of a tax on data usage?) or a disruptive innovation that will change computer technology as we know it. Personally I’m hoping for the latter because the prospect of ‘yet another tax’ is far too annoying to contemplate.

When and where a game-changing breakthrough in the way we build our computers will come from is anybody’s guess. One possible candidate is quantum computing. Even though these devices need to be cooled to within a fraction of absolute zero, a power hungry business itself, the computer engine then only requires an extra fraction of a watt for operation. The benefit, as demonstrated experimentally in Google’s AI laboratory, is that the power drawn by the refrigeration/computer combination hardly changes when computing capability is scaled up. This means that after the initial power budget is met, total consumption remains constant for the generations of more powerful computers to follow. So, if the scientists can develop a viable prototype in the next few years, and if one of the large computer manufacturers can find a way to commercialise it in time, we may yet navigate our way through this mess. Nick Denbow writes more about DC power distribution and the Internet power conundrum in his report from Europe in 'Nick Denbow's European report: DC power distribution is efficient but the Internet is greedy.'

Steven Meyer

Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control

[email protected]



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
Justice Malala to talk at exclusive breakfast
News
South Africa’s economic recovery and industrial growth depend on policy reform and business innovation. Few commentators are better placed to explore these challenges than Justice Malala.

Read more...
Beyond the exhibition: AATF 2025 Conference lineup brings exclusive
News
While the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) 2025 exhibition floor will showcase cutting-edge automation solutions, the real game-changing insights will be found within the conference halls.

Read more...
How to claim CPD points
SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council News
SAIMC makes it possible for you to claim CPD points for attending courses and technical meetings, or completing an online quiz on a SA Instrumentation & Control magazine.

Read more...
Festo celebrates its centenary
Festo South Africa News
Creating added customer value through innovation has been the driving force behind the family-owned company from the beginning and remains the key to Festo’s success today. The company’s anniversary is being celebrated with employees, customers and partners worldwide throughout the year.

Read more...
RS Group cements its position as an ESG leader
News
RS Group has announced its inclusion in the prestigious CDP A-list, having improved its CDP rating this year from A- to A for its commitment to climate action, environmental transparency and disclosure

Read more...
ECSA awards full accreditation to IIE degrees
News
The Independent Institute of Education has received full accreditation from ECSA. This is the first private higher education provider in the country to be recognised in this manner by the industry authority.

Read more...
Growing demand for staple foods in Africa drives Bühler’s growth
News
Opportunities in strengthening local supply chains, especially within food processing and agribusiness, will be the main focus for Bühler Southern Africa in 2025.

Read more...
South African students advance to international round of Young Researchers awards
News
Two Masters in Engineering students from Stellenbosch University have advanced to the international round of the 2025 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation competition. Their projects impressed the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa for their originality and relevance to the forestry sector, which plays a key role in producing wood and paper.

Read more...
The ultimate range for design and repair
RS South Africa News
Design and repair are fundamental aspects of any industry. The launch of the new RS PRO Design & Repair range caters to a wide array of industries, including discrete and process manufacturing, energy and utilities, facilities management and intralogistics.

Read more...