AI's Water Footprint: Numbered Analysis on Data Centers' Usage
However, innovative solutions are emerging. Companies like VIRTUS Data Centres are rethinking cooling technologies, reducing water consumption by up to 55%. Immersion cooling technology, highlighted by Submer, offers a promising alternative, potentially reducing both direct and indirect water usage.
Energy Consumption and Efficiency
1-1.3%: Data centers globally are estimated to consume 1-1.3% of the world's electricity. This reflects the significant energy demands of modern digital infrastructure.
PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness): The ideal PUE is 1.0, but most data centers have a PUE between 1.5 and 2.0. PUE measures how efficiently a data center uses energy, specifically, how much energy the computing equipment uses in contrast to cooling and other overhead.
Water Usage
6.6 million gallons/year: A small 1MW data center can consume up to 6.6 million gallons of water annually for cooling purposes. This highlights the significant water usage of data centers and the need for more sustainable cooling solutions.
Carbon Footprint
0.3%: Data centers contribute approximately 0.3% to global carbon emissions. While this is a relatively small percentage, the absolute numbers are significant, and the industry is focused on reducing this impact.
Data Growth and Storage
175 zettabytes by 2025: The amount of data generated globally is expected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025, according to IDC. This exponential growth in data underscores the need for scalable and efficient data centers.
Downtime Costs
USD 5,600 per minute: The average cost of data center downtime is around USD 5,600 per minute, according to a report by Gartner. This figure can vary significantly based on the industry and specific business operations.
Renewable Energy Usage
100% Renewable: Leading tech companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook aim to power their data centers with 100% renewable energy. This is part of a broader commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of digital infrastructure.
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