Energy overconsumption by traditional data centers
It’s a well-known fact that traditional data centers are huge consumers of energy to power the servers, storage equipment, & cooling structures. The International Energy Agency estimates that data centers consumed about 1% of global electricity in 2020.
Many countries are growing concerned about this need for energy, with a prime example being Singapore. Singapore is a popular data center market for its stability & network, A moratorium was announced to temporarily halt the building of new data centers in 2019, with concerns about space constraints & energy consumption.
In 2022, the Singapore Government lifted this moratorium and announced an emphasis on energy efficiency & sustainability in the building of new data centers.
How to reduce power consumption in typical data centers
A study by the National Climate Change Secretariat shows the breakdown of energy consumption by a typical data center in this pie chart.
Cooling systems are the largest culprit of energy consumption, requiring about 1/3 of the energy required to cool a data center to ASHRAE guidelines. Reducing the energy required for cooling will help mainly in reducing power consumption & costs of data centers.
What is a High Temperature Data Center?
High temperature data centers are also known as High Ambient Temperature data centers or Tropical data centers. While typical data centers need to be cooled to temperatures around 21ºC to function, high temperature data centers are able to operate efficiently at warmer ambient temperatures of 30ºC.
How high-temperature data centers cut costs
High-temperature data centers use fresh-air economizers instead of air-conditioning, doing away with the need for expensive data center cooling networks & reducing energy use, space required, & operational cost, all main factors in using the total cost of ownership of data centers over time.
Servers for High-Temperature Data Centers
With typical servers designed for operation at lower temperatures, durable servers are useful for high-temperature data centers. According to the NCCS, ASHRAE IT equipment failure rate increases exponentially at temperatures above 20ºC, which signals the need for specialized rugged equipment that is built to handle the heat.
LanternEdge’s HarshPro servers are rugged servers with a high operating temperature of up to 50ºC & can cover up to 90% relative humidity. This allows the servers to work efficiently in warm climates with minimal need for additional cooling network, perfect for high-temperature data centers.
How do high-temperature data centers impact overall energy efficiency and costs?
Developing the operating temperature in data centers has an important positive effect on overall energy efficiency & costs. Data centers are cooled to around 20–25°C, & cooling systems can account for over one-third of a data center’s total energy use. By increasing the allowable temperature up to 41°C, studies have shown that data centers can save between 13% & 56% of the energy used for cooling, depending on the climate & location. This is because higher temperatures allow for greater use of “free-cooling” methods, which use outside air instead of energy-intensive chillers, further reducing electricity use.
The reduction in cooling demand directly lowers electricity bills & operating costs for data centers. In many cases, the energy saved from less cooling is much greater than any small increase in server power use. These savings also help minimize the environmental effects of data centers by cutting down on overall power consumption & related emissions.
Conclusion
Discovering data centers at higher temperatures is a smart & sustainable strategy that helps minimize energy use, lowers cooling costs, & supports eco-friendly operations. With advancements in hardware tolerance & cooling technologies, data centers can maintain usability while running warmer. As the industry evolves, embracing higher operating temperatures is a main step toward building an easier & eco-friendly, and responsible digital network.
Did You Know?
In 2004, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers began maintaining a list of humidity and temperature level standards for data centers. Adhering to these standards can help an organization ensure the long life of its hardware.
FAQ
1. Why operate data centers at higher temperatures?
Operating at higher temperatures reduces cooling energy use, lowering costs & environmental impact.
2. Does running data centers warmer temperature affect equipment performance?
Modern servers are designed to handle higher temperatures without compromising performance or reliability.
3. How much energy can data centers save by increasing operating temperatures?
Energy savings vary, but raising temperatures by a few degrees can cut cooling energy use by 10-30%.
4. What cooling methods support higher temperature operation?
Techniques like free air cooling, liquid cooling, and optimized airflow help maintain safe conditions at higher temperatures.
5. Are there risks to operating data centers at higher temperatures?
Risks exist but can be managed with proper monitoring, hardware selection, and maintenance to ensure system stability.
