Currently, the data center industry consumes between 1% and 3% of the world’s electricity and is responsible for 0.5% of CO2 emissions, which could increase up to 20% by 2025, according to information cited by Data Center Market.
One of the most notorious success stories in the region related to the implementation of more efficient technologies has been that of Telefónica SA, one of the main telecommunications companies in the world, which needed to update the infrastructure of its data center located in Colombia.
The company was looking for a customized solution that included management, electrical distribution and monitoring systems, as well as professional installation and support services to implement efficient cooling solutions for the data center at Celta’s headquarters. With the support of Vertiv, Telefónica has not only modernized its infrastructure, but has also managed to reduce energy consumption from 68 kW/h to 41 kW/h, with savings of 40% in air handling units by leveraging operational benefits of the free-cooling cooling plant.
Industry data shows that IT thermal management systems account for about 40% of total power consumption in a typical data center. Efficient cooling systems, such as those used by Telefónica, can significantly reduce data center energy consumption associated with thermal management systems.
Sustainable progress in the region
In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, the search for energy efficiency in the technology sector is a permanent challenge, since the demand for services is expected to double in the next 20 years, according to IDB.
The pursuit of sustainability has become a major issue for the industry, which is why many companies are embracing the use of more efficient and sustainable data center infrastructure. For example, a Chilean mining company deployed Vertiv™ Liebert® APM uninterruptible power supply units with lithium-ion batteries, reducing its operating costs and carbon footprint.
In another case, one of the leading IT organizations in Latin America significantly reduced its carbon emissions by implementing highly efficient renewable energy sources and thermal management systems, which contributed to outstanding power use effectiveness (PUE) of 1.08.
At the same time, a Paraguayan company developed a solution to power mobile phone base stations with solar energy; This made it possible to offer a more reliable electricity supply in an area with low population density and without existing telephone services. Project results included the implementation of optimized cooling for the data center and a continued increase in energy efficiency.
The use of efficient technologies
Due to the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.52% estimated between 2021 and 2026 in the construction of data centers in Latin America, according to Mordor Intelligence, the implementation of technologies that reduce the carbon footprint should be a priority for the region. Some of these strategies include:
The use of renewable energy: the adoption of renewable sources, such as solar or wind energy, can have a significant effect in reducing the carbon footprint.
Modular designs – Modular data center infrastructure is gaining ground in operators’ sustainability strategies, thanks to the ability to add capacity relatively quickly compared to other options and to integrate efficient new technologies into design and development processes. manufacturing, such as intelligent power and cooling systems.
Learn more about solutions that reduce environmental impact and other highly efficient technologies designed to lower operating costs and improve data center reliability in this guide from Vertiv.
