Thread by @BDavisBriz

Second webinar of the day, and looking forward to hearing more about the challenges and opportunities for Data Centres to contribute to the wider #NetZero agenda #CleanTechCam

https://twitter.com/CamCleantech/status/1589528410921046016

First, @NovAzure_'s Phil Cholerton notes that #DataCentre workload has grown by 120% over the past five years, with the global market now worth $60bn dollars #CleanTechCam

Cholerton prescribes this growth to increased demand for data from electric cars, 3d printing and general internet use, as well as the growth of "dark data" (data that is created and only used once #CleanTechCam

Cholerton notes that this growth has significant environmental impact. Suggests carbon output from "dark data" creates the equivalent of 3m transatlantic flights a day & that a 15m/w data centre uses the same amount of water daily as 3 average-sized hospitals #CleanTechCam

However, Cholerton notes that there is significant opportunities to green the data centre value chain - including grey water recycling and waste heat reuse #CleanTechCam

Next speaker, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres' Teong Chuan Yeo discusses how data centres "power everyday necessities". He notes growing demand will increase pressure on storage & cooling of data centres as we become more data intensive #CleanTechCam

Yeo says that current cooling technologies will be insufficient for future cooling needs. Therefore, it is important for companies to invest in newer technologies, which can reduce power needs. Believes liquid cool will be the dominant technology #CleanTechCam

Next, @SDCL__LLP's Jonathan Maxwell notes that the majority of carbon emissions come from #Energy generation. However Maxwell notes that 70% energy is lost on the way to point of use, so more needs to be done before energy reaches data centres to prevent energy loss #CleanTechCam

Maxwell proposes data centres invest more in #EnergyEfficiency, whether that is increase in on-site generation, use of demand reduction solutions (e.g. LED lighting) or recycling heat into district energy networks #CleanTechCam

Next, @iceotope's @davidjcraig notes that there is "an 🐘 both inside and outside the room", with growing % of data being processed outside of #DataCentres, so a wider conversation needs to be had across the sector #CleanTechCam

Craig argues that "data gravity" will create "three perfect storms". With AI & autonomous vehicles creating "increasing but vital" demands on data. This will increase the need for cooling #CleanTechCam

Craig warns that, without sustainable cooling solutions, data centre's global energy use will increase from 3% to 13% by 2030. Craig then discusses Iceotope's Immersion Cooling tech, which consumes less energy & uses zero water #CleanTechCam

Final speaker @everimpact_com's @MathieuCarlier discusses how we can green the cloud to help reach net zero targets #CleanTechCam

Carlier provides case studies from works on Green Data Centres, including EDF's Smart City initiative, BT's Street Hubs rollout & Hiatchi's Municiple forest management schemes - all of which provide real-time data and monetise carbon reduction offerings #CleanTechCam

The webinar now moves on to a Q&A session #CleanTechCam

On who owns the growing volumes of data, Craig explains how data is often processed across several platforms & centres. Yeo says the #Coronavirus pandemic has also created a shift towards online activity, which will further increase data generation #CleanTechCam

On a Q on how to reduce dark data & improving efficiency, Craig agrees that more needs to be done to improve processing efficiency. Cholerton says more research needs to be done on scale of dark data & how to identify & reduce it #CleanTechCam

On how to redistribute heat & water waste, Maxwell acknowledges there is an over-focus on energy, whereas there is a lot of potential on waste and water #CleanTechCam

In particular, heat can be captured both from data processing & onsite energy generation to be used both in district heat schemes & neighbouring business parks #CleanTechCam

On water, Maxwell also says that lower-grade heat from water can be used in residential heat networks #CleanTechCam

On water, Craig notes that "liquid cooling" is a "bit of a misnomer" as it is capturing heat, rather than cooling. This means there are "useful by-products" that can be drawn from liquid cooling, rather than air cooling, which simply cools the air #CleanTechCam

Yeo agrees that liquid cooling will play a "vital role" in improving energy efficiency of data centres - argues innovations & investment in fuel cells & batteries to capture by-products from water waste to help drive further energy efficiencies #CleanTechCam

Really interesting discussion on the role #DataCentres can play in achieving #NetZero. Thanks to Phil Cholerton, T C Yeo, Jonathan Maxwell @davidjcraig & @MathieuCarlier for your insights, to @russell_sylvie for chairing & @CamCleantech/@NovAzure_ for hosting! #CleanTechCam