Where your focus goes, energy flows

Welcome to i3 News, sharing insights from across Europe and Asia Pacific, commenting on trends affecting the data centre industry, as well as sharing our own news, events we’re attending, and award information.

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In this inaugural issue, we’re addressing the energy crisis and the impact it’s having on achieving carbon reduction goals.

?Technology has made tremendous progress in sustainability, but for data centres it isn’t just about the IT tech, it’s about utilising engineering design to create a long-term a strategy that generates tangible results.

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With the cost and supply of power a heavy influence on decision-making in an energy intensive industry like ours, we believe data centre Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and low carbon on-site generation will be an important gateway technology to assuaging the issues associated with increased use of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources now affecting many utility grid as they decarbonise removing traditional high inertia and high fossil fuel generators and increase them with intermittent VRE systems such as wind and solar .

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One of the new white papers from the Data Centre GHG Abatement Group called “Sustainability Considerations for Battery Option Selection in Energy Storage Systems ” takes a look at the key considerations for designing data centre BESS:

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1.????What type of energy storage is best for my data centre?

2.????How could installing BESS influence the grid?

3.????Should I change my current energy storage solution?

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The GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Abatement Group was formed in early 2021 by i3 Solutions Group in partnership with EYP Mission Critical Facilities (part of Ramboll). Its mission is to provide engineers and managers in the sector with free access to objective, practical research, in-depth technical analysis and actionable information regarding the sustainability of existing and emerging technologies, processes, and methodologies for to assist data centre owners achieve their carbon reduction goals.

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No one size fits all

Despite the bespoke nature of most data centres, the options to utilise their inherent energy storage is vast. This, we feel, can support the needs of existing and future data centres in an efficient and sustainable manner that is good for business and the planet. In our blog, “Sustainable infrastructure and the future of energy storage” we outline some of the options for energy storage available to operators and their benefits, including the massive potential of gravity storage.

Embracing change

?According to a 2021 Frost and Sullivan report, by the end of this year lithium-ion batteries will account for 38.5% of data centre energy storage. Its growing popularity is reportedly due to its durability and smaller footprint; while also achieving ten times the number of recycles compared with traditional lead acid batteries. Although this change won’t happen overnight, this article shares what the key considerations are for BESS to make the grid more sustainable.

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Regulations are coming

?It’s no secret that governments across the globe are planning to tighten legislation and undeniably, these will influence sustainable practices for all sectors. But the best way to approach this is through preparation and having a system in place which works for your data centre, rather than retrospectively applying legislation to your data centre. Here , we offer guidance on calculating whole-life carbon and using this figure with energy storage can ensure your data centre is on the road to carbon zero.

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If any of these articles have sparked a question, please leave a comment. Sustainability can only be achieved collectively, together we can all make a contribution to becoming an industry which is fully net zero for carbon.