• • • DATACENTREMANAGEMENT • • • The energy implications of
AI expansion So far so good, but what do all these plans mean for data centre producers and operators and how do they impact the energy sector in general? It’s clear that such ambitious plans for an AI-driven future demand careful management of energy resources combined with intelligent infrastructure development. As we know from experience, AI models require high-density computing which leads to an inevitable increase in demand for energy. It follows then that AI Growth Zones are likely to accelerate the demand for scalable and sustainable power solutions and this development is especially rife with challenges and likely risks. Apart from the ever-present potential problem of rising energy costs, there are the obvious grid constraints that a massive expansion of data centres could expose. Capacity is already a problem on some existing power grids and the UK government’s AI drive will undoubtedly test limitations. Also, sustainable power sources within the AI-powered industries will need to be reliable (and let’s not forget that even sustainable power solutions can sometimes have environmental impacts). Shifts in government policies and regulations can affect the viability and funding of sustainable power projects, so there will be a significant challenge for stakeholders to keep up-to-date with regulatory changes and ensure continued compliance. Finally, investing in
future-proof technologies is equally important but can also incur unforeseen and even significant costs.
How can data centres optimise
their power solutions? This drive to AI and sustainable development highlights the importance of data centre developers and operators having resilient and flexible energy strategies in place. To this end, AVK offers a range of sustainable
power solutions that reduce reliance on traditional power sources and ensure uptime and reliability. These include full prime microgrids. Offering a resilient and flexible power supply, microgrids can integrate renewable energy sources and provide backup power during outages. Other solutions include renewables, standby options, hydrogen-powered backup and battery storage. Storage solutions can enable energy loads to be managed more effectively, with excess energy stored when demand is low for release during more peak periods. In addition, to flag up inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement, AVK specialises in the implementation of advanced energy management systems (EMSs) that enable users to monitor and control their energy usage in real-time. By being ‘technology agnostic,’ AVK is able to
focus on delivering the optimal power solution through the application of the very latest technology, backed by the expertise and
experience of such impressive and long-standing partners as Wärtsilä and Rolls-Royce Power Systems. Through these collaborations, AVK is used to working with customers on their future roadmaps. That’s why the company is committed to future-proofing its products and developing solutions that are not short-term sticking plasters but instead are designed around long-term sustainability goals. AVK’s commitment to minimising the environmental impact of installations also stretches to the company investing in local production and supply chains. In short, data centres are able to manage energy consumption better while lowering operational costs through effective load management. Strategies for energy efficiency can include advanced cooling technologies such as free, liquid and adiabatic. Also, server virtualisation, consolidation and optimisation can lead to lower numbers of servers being required. The premise behind the UK government’s initiative on increasing the adoption of artificial intelligence through its action plan and AI Growth Zones is promising but the market has to be ready. The reality is that this new strategy is going to create a number of new challenges for data centre developers and operators who will need to be sure they are putting the best solutions available into practice while always complying with the very latest requirements. AVK stands ready to work with key players to ensure these energy challenges are met head-on in a practical, sustainable and affordable way.
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