Our CEO, Jamie Shaw, recently spoke to Intelligent Data Centres about the role of solar energy in helping data centres to adopt renewable energy and increase energy independence.
If you missed the original article, catch up below…
The Rapid Growth of Data Centres
In September, the UK Government designated data centres as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’ – a move that accelerates the need for more sustainable energy sources for the sector.
It’s estimated that electricity demand from UK data centres alone will jump six-fold over the next decade. According to the BBC, by 2026, data centres globally will consume the same amount of electricity as Japan.
Due to this fast-growing, energy-hungry phenomenon, adopting renewable energy sources, such as solar, has never been more pressing.
Solar Panels as a Sustainable Solution
Solar panel installations are a tried-and-tested way for businesses to produce sustainable electricity. Not only do they reduce reliance upon the grid and more conventional energy sources, but they shield from unpredictable energy market fluctuations too.
Custom solar energy installations help data centres meet their carbon-reduction and financial targets – significantly reducing energy bills – while also enabling them to maximise unused roof or ground space for greater environmental and economic efficiency.
When it comes to seeing solar energy in action, data centre operators can take inspiration from the UK’s financial sector as well as other global powerhouses.
The UK is home to one of the world’s largest financial services sectors, and the technology that powers it is increasingly being generated by greener sources. Meanwhile, tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are aligning growing energy usage with their corporate sustainability goals.
Finding Space for Solar
Data centres have an untapped resource for producing sustainable energy – their rooftops.
However, if the roof isn’t an option, unused space around data centres provides operators with the opportunity to install ground-mount solar installations too.
But if space itself is at a premium, an increasingly popular option to explore is a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) – a financial contract that enables businesses to support renewable energy generation without receiving the energy directly. The company also has exclusive rights to the asset, so it can be visited by staff and clients.
With VPPAs, companies also achieve ‘additionality,’ as the solar asset wouldn’t exist if the business hadn’t decided to adopt renewable energy.
A business enters into a VPPA with a commercial solar developer, agreeing to purchase electricity generated by a specific project at a fixed price over a long-term period, typically 10 to 20 years.
VPPAs can help empower data centres when it comes to energy supply, by reporting emissions, improving brand image, attracting investors and also helping to counteract the environmental impact of its energy usage.
As the digital world grows, so too does the need for eco-friendly practices in data management. These needs have become an increasingly important consideration for IT decision-makers, and solar energy can certainly help make the future that little bit brighter for the industry.
If you’d like to find out more about our solar solutions for data centres, get in touch with our friendly team of solar experts.
