There seems to be a noticeable shift in how data centres are evolving as organisations grapple with the pressure to advance sustainably against a backdrop of increasing data volumes. Data centre organisations are making a clear attempt to find innovative solutions which enable them to operate most efficiently whilst being mindful of sustainability goals and minimising their impact on the environment. Underwater data centres offer benefits which include saving on land space and electricity, while some are referring to space-based data centres as the answer to the energy crisis.
Just a few years ago, Microsoft announced a research project to determine the feasibility of subsea data centres powered by offshore renewable energy. ‘Project Natick’ sought to understand the benefits and difficulties of deploying subsea data centres worldwide. The tech giant then went on to complete deployment of a full-scale data centre module in the North Sea, powered by renewable energy. The project was reportedly a success.
In conversation with University of Florida news, Md Jahidul Islam, Ph.D., a professor of electrical and computer engineering at University of Florida, said: “The main advantages of having a data centre underwater are the free cooling and the isolation from variable environments on land.” However, he says both advantages can offer some liabilities as the dense water carries acoustic signals faster than in air and the isolated data centre therefore becomes difficult to monitor or service if components break.
A recent study by ASCEND revealed that data centres in space could transform the European digital landscape. With the race to net zero front-and-centre of the industry’s strategic roadmap, companies are investing in reducing their energy output.
The purpose of the study was to compare the environmental impacts of space-based and Earth-based data centres, although with many organisations setting up camp in the Nordics, it’s fair to question whether this somewhat drastic approach is really necessary.
The Nordic region has seen significant investment in new data centres in recent years and is a popular data centre hotspot due to its cool climate. The sustainability prospects it offers are second-to-none, enhancing its appeal as a global data centre hub and the wide-ranging business opportunities it offers.
Data Centre Opportunities in the Nordics – a study by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark – reports Iceland is already home to some of the world’s largest high-performance computing and Blockchain data centres due to its abundance of cost-efficient renewable energy sources and climate, reinforcing the region’s potential.
However, Christophe Valorge, CTO, Thales Alenia Space, argues the results of the ASCEND study confirm that deploying data centres in space could transform the European digital landscape, offering a more ecofriendly and sovereign solution for hosting and processing data. “We’re proud to be contributing to an initiative supporting Europe’s net zero objectives and strengthening its technological sovereignty,” he said.
Yves Durand, Director of Technology for Thales Alenia Space, agrees and says a major benefit of space-based data centres is that they would not require water to cool them – a key advantage in times of increasing drought.
Data centres in space are indeed an interesting concept and it sounds like scientists have a solid argument in favour of this revolution, although it’s fair to question whether it will actually take off.
What will be next – data centres in the South Pole?
