Data Centres

Frankfurt data centre meets EU taxonomy criteria

maincubes, a developer and operator of data centres in Europe, and part of the DTCP portfolio, has announced that its newly constructed FRA02 data centre in Frankfurt aligns with the EU Taxonomy standard. This milestone underscores maincubes’ commitment to stringent environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and creating long-term value for investors and clients alike. The EU Taxonomy is the classification framework to determine whether an economic activity is considered environmentally sustainable in the context of the European Green Deal. The framework sets rigorous performance standards for projects to ensure substantial contribution to climate goals, such as emissions reduction and energy efficiency. In addition, the alignment approves that a project does no significant harm (DNSH) to other environmental objectives and does not infringe on human rights. Verified by Northshore, a specialist in data centre sustainability assessments, FRA02 meets stringent criteria for energy efficiency and emissions management, bolstering its credibility and minimising risks through validated compliance with the EU Taxonomy‘s sustainability criteria. By adhering to the EU Taxonomy’s high standards, maincubes establishes with FRA02 a benchmark for sustainability and operational excellence in the data centre industry. The data centre’s innovative design and energy-efficient operations serve as a model for the industry under increasing pressure to lower emissions and improve sustainability. “Achieving EU Taxonomy alignment for FRA02 underlines our commitment to sustainability and regulatory excellence. This important milestone contributes to shaping a more sustainable future for the data centre industry, while enhancing trust and transparency for our customers and stakeholders,” says Martin Murphy, Chief Operating Officer at maincubes. For more from maincubes, click here.

Durham University's data centre approved

Plans to build a cutting-edge data centre at the Aykley Heads business park in Durham have been given the green light, marking a significant step for Durham University and the region's technology ambitions. The facility, set to house a super-computer, data hall, and office spaces, will form a key part of the ongoing development aimed at attracting data-intensive businesses. While the university touts the project as a catalyst for job creation and economic growth, concerns have been raised by local groups over the potential job losses compared to original plans for the site. Approved by Durham County Council's planning committee on Friday (10 January 2025), the data centre project represents Durham University’s commitment to bolstering its research capabilities and contributing to the regional economy. The university anticipates the facility will act as a magnet for businesses, attract highly skilled workers, and provide valuable training opportunities for local talent. However, the approval hasn't come without reservation. The City of Durham Trust and the City of Durham Parish Council have both expressed disappointment, believing the data centre’s development deviates from the original vision of the business park. The 2021 masterplan for Aykley Heads had envisioned Plot D, the site of the approved data centre, as office space potentially capable of generating hundreds of jobs. Michael Hurlow of the City of Durham Trust criticises the current proposal, stating that "it failed to deliver on the promise of a high-quality business park”, and noting that it falls below the standards expected for the area. He argues that the alternative data centre plans undermine the potential for widespread job creation anticipated with office space. The City of Durham Parish Council further emphasises the stark contrast in employment figures, as estimates suggest a data centre would bring in only seven to 15 jobs, a significant drop compared to the projected 200 to 300 jobs associated with office development. Despite these concerns, a county council spokesman acknowledged the considerable difference in job numbers but maintained that both data centre and office development were consistent with the overall masterplan for the business park. They argued that the potential loss of jobs was not a sufficient reason to deny permission for the current proposal. A Durham University spokeswoman sought to alleviate the concerns, emphasising that the broader development that the data centre is a part of would ultimately generate new employment opportunities, attract businesses to the region, and equip local workers with in-demand digital skills. The University believes the long-term benefits of the data centre for the region will outweigh the immediate job discrepancy. While the approval of the data centre represents a significant step forward for Durham’s technological infrastructure, it has also sparked a debate about the balancing act between innovation and job creation. The situation highlights the complex considerations involved in development planning and the varied perspectives of stakeholders. As the data centre project progresses, close attention will be paid to its impact on the local economy and the fulfillment of promises regarding long-term regional benefits.

AWS Direct Connect Location available at Telehouse Osaka

KDDI Corporation, parent company to Telehouse, has announced today the availability of an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Direct Connect Location at its Telehouse Osaka data centre in Japan. Telehouse Osaka customers can now directly access over 240 AWS cloud services, including AWS's generative AI via AWS Direct Connect, a cloud service that links customer networks directly to AWS Regions (data centres) through a dedicated network from Telehouse Osaka. This enables low-latency and secure connections to their own cloud environments. Telehouse Osaka will reportedly be the first data centre in Japan operated by a Japanese telecommunications company to provide a dedicated connection point to AWS Direct Connect. Globally, this will be the third AWS Direct Connect site to implement the service, following Telehouse PARIS Voltaire and Telehouse London Docklands. Takeyuki Yanagisawa, General Manager, Connectivity DC Planning Department at KDDI, comments, “The AWS Direct Connect Location at Telehouse Osaka allows for the creation of a secure and private link between AWS cloud services and our customers’ IT systems within the data centre. This setup significantly enhances throughput and ensures stability of our customers’ networks.” “Additionally, by using the fibre core-based data centre interconnection service in the Osaka Business Park, customers can also access their IT infrastructure from other data centres.” For more from KDDI, click here.

Tract Capital introduces data centre development platform

Tract Capital, an alternative asset manager focused on creating businesses that enable rapid scaling of digital infrastructure, has introduced Fleet Data Centers to programmatically meet the next phase of hyperscale data centre growth. Fleet Data Centers enters the market with a specific focus on mega-scale campuses with a prioritised target of single-user campuses. The Fleet Data Centers team consists of industry veterans who have already made a lasting imprint on the evolution of global digital infrastructure and believe they are uniquely capable of enhancing data centre development scale and operations in the face of rising demand. Tract Capital CEO and Executive Chairman of Fleet, Grant van Rooyen, comments, “We are focused on meeting the capacity and scale needs of tomorrow. Predictable and flexible data centre delivery on large-scale contiguous campuses is the logical solution for customers trying to navigate divergent demand forecasts. “The scope of our opportunity is expanding daily as customers search for new models to replace legacy building blocks and to meet the pace of demand for new infrastructure. Chris and I first worked together 26 years ago. I have immense admiration and respect for his body of work, his leadership anchored by a bias for action, and his character. It is a privilege to welcome him to our business family and to entrust the Fleet business into his capable hands.” Fleet Data Centers intends to build some of the largest data centre campuses in the world, combining gigawatt-level capacity with a campus-based commercial model that gives customers the ability to confidently secure capacity to meet their high-side demand forecasts. Fleet Data Centers’ campuses and operations will be designed in collaboration with customers to deliver seamless augmentation to their existing data centre fleets and access ongoing design innovation to intercept new technologies. Chris Vonderhaar joins Fleet Data Centers as President, most recently coming from Google Cloud where he served as Vice President of Demand and Supply Management. Prior to his time at Google Cloud, Vonderhaar served in a decade-plus tenure at Amazon Web Services (AWS) where he was responsible for the design, planning, construction and operations of the AWS global data centre platform, including energy and sustainability. Vonderhaar is joined by industry veterans from hyperscalers, wholesale data centre providers, network infrastructure providers and equipment vendors, who have collectively deployed dozens of gigawatts of data centre capacity across hundreds of data centres globally. Chris states, “Our team has direct insight into the challenges hyperscalers face as they scale. Designing, building and operating these platforms is getting harder while demand is accelerating. Hyperscalers need infrastructure that is going to deliver predictability and flexibility decades into the future. Our collaborative, long-term model backed by our engineering, system and operational excellence positions Fleet Data Centers to be an integrated extension of our customers’ data centre platforms. Grant and the Tract Capital team have been successfully starting new and innovative businesses for decades and have a proven and respected record of success. I am thrilled to be their partner.”

Michigan state continues to support data centre growth

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) has congratulated Michigan leaders on the finalisation of Senate Bill 237 (SB 237) as a Public Act on 30 December 2024. The new law continues Michigan’s commitment to supporting critical data centre growth, while holding data centre projects accountable to community sustainability priorities. As part of its requirements, the law requires sustainable and resilient design, construction, and operation of these facilities through GBI’s Green Globes certification, among others, within three years of operation. “Michigan joins a number of states and cities who are committed to sustainable data centre development, demonstrated by the passing of SB 237,” says Vicki Worden, GBI President & CEO. “Green Globes is ideally suited to educate, evaluate, and improve data centre operations, creating more efficient and resilient mission critical facilities that are positively contributing to communities.” Senate Bill 237 extends the sunset on a use and sales tax exception from 2035 to 2050, or 2065 if the data centre is located on a brownfield site or a location that was used primarily as a power plant for electricity. Data centres may pursue Green Globes New Construction for projects with less than 12 consecutive months of utility data or Green Globes for Existing Buildings for buildings with 12 or more months of utility data for compliance. To date, nearly 16 million square feet of data centres have been certified or are pursuing Green Globes certification in 17 states and Canada. GBI offers personalised guidance and support throughout the assessment process, multiple compliance pathways for a rigorous, not rigid approach, and matches the data centre industry speed to market. In addition to recognition in SB 237, Green Globes certification serves as a compliance pathway in several tax abatement policies throughout the US, including those in Arizona, Washington, and Illinois. Green Globes certification also contributes to an improved GRESB score, a global benchmarking system, in increasing demand by stakeholders. Companies including Aligned Data Centers, Compass Datacenters, CyrusOne, Equinix, Powerhouse, and Vantage Data Centers have achieved Green Globes certification to demonstrate their commitment to and accountability for sustainability. For more from The Green Building Initiative, click here.

Pure Storage and Micron expand collaboration

Pure Storage, an IT company that delivers advanced data storage technology and services, today announced the expansion of its strategic collaboration with Micron Technology, a global provider of memory and storage solutions. This collaboration enables the high-capacity and energy-efficient solutions that hyperscalers require using Micron G9 QLC NAND for future DirectFlash Module products. The joint effort continues a decade-long initiative of integrating Micron’s latest NAND technology with Pure Storage products, which spans seven generations and includes the Micron G8 QLC NAND qualified for production in Pure Storage’s 150TB DirectFlash Module. Combined with Pure Storage’s advanced data storage platform, the solution delivers a data storage offering with massive drive capacities, high performance, and low latency - while driving architectural simplification and delivering significant energy efficiency improvements. In modern data centres, three critical concerns factor into every storage system - energy efficiency, storage density, and performance. Data centres consume tremendous amounts of power, which is why energy-efficient solutions are critical to managing both operational expenses and the impact on the environment. Additionally, as data centres grow, they remain space-constrained, making every square foot valuable. Operators are continuously challenged to fit more storage into less space. Meanwhile, storage performance is even more important as a competitive advantage because consumers of data centre services expect faster data processing, as the rush to turn data into insights accelerates. Pure Storage and Micron are collaborating to deliver a winning total cost of ownership option versus legacy hard drive-based storage offerings for hyperscalers. The collaboration provides the following benefits: • Improved performance, lower latency: The combination of Pure Storage’s data storage platform with Micron’s advanced NAND technology with strong transfer rates provides ultrafast, low-latency, and reliable services for massive, data-intensive workloads.• Sustainability: This joint solution dramatically reduces the energy consumption over traditional storage options, lowering operating costs and reducing the environmental footprint.• Rack-dense, scalable options: By integrating Micron’s NAND that offers areal density (bits per square millimetre), Pure Storage can deliver highly scalable systems at a reduced total cost of acquisition and ownership.“Pure Storage’s collaboration with Micron is another example of our significant momentum bringing the benefits of all-flash storage technology to hyperscale environments,” says Bill Cerreta, General Manager, Hyperscale, Pure Storage. “With Micron’s advanced NAND technology, Pure Storage can further optimise storage scalability, performance, and energy efficiency for an industry with unparalleled requirements.” “Micron’s advanced NAND technologies, combined with Pure’s innovative storage solutions, enable data centre operators to address the increasing performance, efficiency, and scalability needs for today’s hyperscale data centres,” adds Jeremy Werner, SVP & GM, Storage Business Unit, Micron. “Built on trust and thriving on innovation, our collaboration with Pure Storage consistently offers cutting-edge storage solutions for hyperscale and enterprise environments.” For more from Pure Storage, click here.

365 Data Centers partners with InterServer

365 Data Centers, a provider of network-centric colocation, network, cloud and other managed services, has announced a strategic partnership with InterServer, a web hosting and managed services provider specialising in customised bare metal solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance and expand the companies' joint capabilities, particularly in the growing New Jersey market. The partnership leverages the strengths of both companies to deliver comprehensive IT infrastructure services. InterServer selected 365 Data Centers as its newest colocation provider due to 365's network of 20 data centres across the US, including multiple locations in New Jersey (such as Carlstadt and Bridgewater). This decision aligns with InterServer’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence beyond the Secaucus market, which has traditionally been the company’s core operational hub in the state. Both companies are committed to expanding their presence in the New Jersey market, capitalising on the region's strategic importance as a data centre hub. New Jersey's proximity to New York City, robust infrastructure, and emerging status as a cable landing destination for subsea data traffic make it an ideal location for data centre growth. "365 Data Centers is excited to partner with InterServer to deliver cutting-edge IT infrastructure solutions," says Bob DeSantis, CEO of 365 Data Centers. "Our network-centric data centres in New Jersey, combined with InterServer's expertise in web hosting and cloud services, will provide businesses in the region with unparalleled access to secure, reliable, and scalable IT services." Mike Lavrik, Co-Founder of InterServer, adds, "We're looking forward to forging a great path forward with 365 and we believe that there is a tremendous amount of growth to be had with this partnership. We're really looking to build our relationship with 365 and take it to the next level. We feel that there's an adjacency and a solid partnership to be forged ahead, particularly as we continue to expand our footprint in the New Jersey market." For more from 365 Data Centers, click here.

The data centre liquid cooling market outlook

According to analysis by Persistence Market Research, the data centre liquid cooling market is projected to grow from $4.1 billion in 2024 to $19.4 billion by 2031, at a robust CAGR of 24.6%. This growth, the research firm says, is fuelled by increasing data centre density, the need for energy-efficient cooling systems, and rising adoption of High-Performance Computing (HPC). Liquid cooling systems offer superior energy efficiency, cutting energy use by up to 40% compared to air cooling. Major cloud providers and hyperscale data centres are driving demand for innovative solutions like cold plate cooling and immersion cooling, which address the challenges of high thermal loads and sustainability. North America leads the market with a significant share, supported by booming cloud computing and favorable regulatory policies. The growing need for efficient cooling solutions As data centres continue to expand in scale and capacity, the demand for efficient cooling mechanisms has grown exponentially. Traditional air-cooling systems, though widely used, are struggling to meet the energy efficiency and thermal management needs of modern high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Liquid cooling is emerging as a revolutionary solution to address these challenges. Liquid cooling systems utilise water or specialised cooling fluids to absorb and dissipate heat generated by servers and IT equipment. Unlike air cooling, liquid cooling has a significantly higher thermal transfer efficiency, making it ideal for densely packed data centres. Key components of these systems include cold plates, heat exchangers, and pumps that work in synergy to maintain optimal operating temperatures. Growth projections and industry trends The global data centre liquid cooling market is witnessing robust growth, with projections estimating a CAGR of over 20% between 2024 and 2032. This surge is driven by the increasing deployment of advanced IT infrastructure and rising energy costs. Furthermore, environmental concerns are pushing data centre operators to adopt greener, more energy-efficient cooling solutions, further boosting the adoption of liquid cooling. Liquid cooling offers several advantages over conventional air-cooling methods: - Enhanced energy efficiency: With the ability to directly cool components, liquid cooling reduces overall energy consumption. - Higher cooling capacity: It supports high-density server configurations, enabling better utilisation of physical space. - Reduced noise and maintenance: Liquid cooling systems operate quietly and require less frequent maintenance compared to air-cooling setups. Applications across industries Liquid cooling is not limited to a single sector; it is being rapidly adopted across industries such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology. These sectors require immense computational power, making efficient thermal management critical to their operations. Key challenges in liquid cooling implementation Despite its advantages, implementing liquid cooling comes with its own set of challenges: - Initial investment costs: The upfront cost of installing liquid cooling systems can be prohibitive for smaller enterprises. - Complexity in design and maintenance: Designing an efficient liquid cooling system requires expertise, and regular maintenance can be complex. - Risk of leakage: While rare, leakage of coolant fluids can pose a risk to critical IT equipment. Innovations driving adoption Innovations in liquid cooling technology are making these systems more accessible and reliable. For instance, immersion cooling - where servers are submerged in non-conductive cooling fluids - is gaining traction for its simplicity and effectiveness. Similarly, modular cooling systems are enabling scalability and easier integration into existing data centre architectures. Regional insights: where growth is happening The data centre liquid cooling market is experiencing significant growth across various regions: - North America: Leading the market due to its extensive data centre infrastructure and focus on green technologies. - Europe: Accelerating adoption driven by stringent energy efficiency regulations. - Asia-Pacific: Witnessing rapid growth due to the booming IT sector and increasing investments in data centre facilities. Future outlook: sustainability and beyond The future of data centre cooling lies in sustainable technologies. Liquid cooling systems are poised to play a pivotal role in achieving carbon-neutral data centres. Innovations like water-free cooling systems and closed-loop solutions are expected to further enhance the eco-friendliness of these systems. The path ahead for liquid cooling Data centre liquid cooling represents the next frontier in thermal management solutions. As technological advancements continue to reshape the IT landscape, liquid cooling systems will be essential in meeting the performance and sustainability demands of future data centres. Their adoption not only ensures energy efficiency but also aligns with global efforts toward environmental conservation.

Schneider Electric makes key data centre appointment

Schneider Electric has announced the appointment of Nirupa Chander as Senior Vice President, Secure Power & Data Centres, International Operations. In the role, Nirupa will lead a division of more than 700 professionals, supporting customers and partners in their digital transformation journeys and achieving their sustainability goals in an all-electric world across international zones, including MEA, EAP, Japan, India and South America. “Understanding the complex and nuanced interplay between energy and data will be key to navigating the future of our industry,” says Pankaj Sharma, Executive Vice President, Secure Power, Data Centres & Global Services, Schneider Electric. “Nirupa’s experience and insight in this area will be invaluable in the ongoing digitalisation of the energy sector and our increasingly digital world.” A veteran of the energy industry, Nirupa has extensive experience in energy grids, micro-grids, and automation, as well as project management, engineering, service and business development. Beginning her career with India’s largest industrial electrical company, Nirupa progressed from project engineering roles through project management, and country manager roles with major engineering firms (such as ABB and Hitachi Energy) in Singapore and Australia before joining Schneider Electric in 2022 as Vice President of Power Systems for the Middle East and Africa. Commenting on her appointment, Nirupa comments, “Early career experiences with controls and automation brought me into IT infrastructure, showing me how energy and data are increasingly intertwined. Working on microgrids highlighted the complexity of balancing the grid with energy storage technology and renewables - insights now applicable to creating sustainable data centres. “It is exciting to see the strong coupling between data and energy, and I am excited about applying my knowledge and skills to this evolving field, especially with the anticipated growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on the industry.” Nirupa holds a degree in Engineering from Gujarat University in Electronics and is a certified project management professional. She is a graduate of leadership programmes from both the Wharton School and INSEAD Executive Education. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Vertiv acquires centrifugal chiller technology

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity technologies, today announced the acquisition by its Chinese subsidiary of certain assets and technologies of BiXin Energy Technology (Suzhou) Co. (BSE), a manufacturer of chillers, heat pumps, heat recovery products and air-handling units. Focused on expanding the Vertiv chiller family, the acquisition strengthens Vertiv’s portfolio of critical technologies in support of high-performance compute and AI applications globally. Founded in 2010, BSE brings to Vertiv an established and field-proven presence in the China market and other Asian regions, along with industry patents, advanced technology and strong research and development capabilities that will reinforce Vertiv’s global offering. BSE’s core product offerings include oil-free, magnetic-bearing centrifugal water-cooled and air-cooled chillers incorporating pumped-refrigerant-economisation technology, with cooling capacities of up to 5.5 MW. BSE is an expert on centrifugal technology, which is designed to provide high efficiency, low maintenance, quiet operation and high reliability. “This acquisition supports our capital allocation strategy, which includes adding technologies that are early in the maturity curve to our portfolio,” says Giordano Albertazzi, Chief Executive Officer, Vertiv. “BSE’s solutions and technologies complement and reinforce Vertiv’s existing chiller portfolio and will assist us in addressing growing air and liquid cooling demand to support high-performance compute and AI. Vertiv has the most complete critical digital infrastructure portfolio, and BSE further strengthens our technology offerings that we can provide to customers globally.” Since early 2024, Vertiv has partnered with BSE to manufacture Vertiv-branded products for existing customers in China and throughout Asia. BSE is an Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certified test facility, a China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA) member and a China High and New-Technology Enterprise. Its products carry the AHRI-certified and CRAA-certified product labels. The combination of engineering, test and technology expertise in centrifugal chillers is complementary to Vertiv’s global chiller product portfolio. “We’ve enjoyed an outstanding partnership with Vertiv and look forward to becoming a part of the company,” adds York Zha, BSE’s CEO. “We’re excited to combine our portfolio with Vertiv’s to deliver a highly efficient and reliable offering of chiller and heat-recovery and reuse solutions for data centre customers globally.” For more from Vertiv, click here.