Power & Cooling

Schneider Electric makes eConversion the default mode for its Galaxy UPS series

Schneider Electric has announced an enhanced version of eConversion (formerly known as ECOnversion), to provide increased sustainability for its Galaxy V Series three-phase UPS. After years of field tests, all Galaxy V Series UPS' will be shipped to customers with eConversion as the default. eConversion mode provides the highest protection level for critical loads with Class-1 (UL certified) and results in savings up to three times the UPS price. Providing critical back-up power solutions for IT and non-IT environments, such as industrial edge applications, the Galaxy V Series’ eConversion delivers reliable power protection and helps attain new levels of sustainability. eConversion has over eight years of field deployment and thousands of customers worldwide who use it daily to protect their critical loads since its launch in 2014. “With eConversion as the default mode for Galaxy V Series three-phase UPSs, we expect to facilitate the conservation of 175GWh of electricity annually - which is the equivalent of the energy produced by nearly 60,000 rooftop solar installations.” Says Mustafa Demirkol, Vice President of Data Centre Systems, Offer Management and Marketing, Energy Management at Schneider Electric. “We’re looking forward to helping customers meet their sustainability goals while reducing their electricity spending and corresponding carbon emissions.” High efficiency mode mitigates impact of rising energy costs According to the World Bank, energy prices are expected to rise more than 50% in 2022 before easing in 2023 and 2024. Utilising eConversion enables operators to mitigate some of the cost and climate impact while continuing to benefit from the highest protection level for critical loads with Class-1 (UL certified). Additionally, with the eConversion savings metre, customers can check electricity savings on the UPS display. Customers can still choose to use the Double Conversion mode, but field experience has shown that modern electrical installations do not justify such high permanent use of electricity. EcoDataCenter, a climate-positive HPC data centre, deployed four Galaxy VX UPS’ at 1250kW each to support customer loads with the possibility to run at 99% efficiency with eConversion mode. As digital demand will continue to grow and require resilience to reap the benefits of automation and efficiency, data centre, OT, and IT professionals will need to make step-changes towards a net zero world. eConversion is available as a feature in all Galaxy V Series UPS’ worldwide.

Telehouse set to achieve a 461t reduction in carbon emissions

Telehouse has announced a collaboration with EkkoSense, enabling the organisation to achieve an anticipated 461t reduction in CO2 carbon emissions at its Telehouse North site by the end of 2022. EkkoSense’s ML and AI-powered optimisation technology monitors and visualises the performance of data centre sites. Following an initial trial at Telehouse North that was implemented at the end of 2021, a 10% cooling power reduction has been achieved, leading to reduced carbon emissions. Its success means that the technology is now being rolled out to other data centres at the Telehouse London Docklands campus. The software works by analysing in real-time thousands of temperature and cooling points across the site to identify where levels of cooling can be tweaked, and dramatically increases the level of insightful data available to the operations team to remove risk and improve resilience. Sensor deployment across the data halls provided Telehouse with the ability to monitor and identify performance improvements. If the temperature in a section of the data centre is outside the normal range, the sensors will flag this. The EkkoSoft Critical 3D visualisation and analytics platform continuously provides advice to the Telehouse team about adjusting cooling settings, such as fan speed adjustments, cooling set points and floor grille placements - resulting in quantifiable cooling energy savings and a reduction in carbon emissions. The technology has also proven to be especially valuable for Telehouse at a time of record-breaking temperatures in the UK. During July and August, the software enabled the organisation to successfully monitor and protect equipment and maintain uptime. The EkkoSense software includes 3D visualisation capabilities, which the organisation uses to gain a clear picture of where overcooling is taking place, the location of hotspots or any other inefficiencies that need rectification to benefit its customers. The organisation is also exploring how the solution can be used to improve capacity management processes, identify any capacity constraints and better quantify available capacity. “We’ve already made significant carbon emission reductions from an initial rollout of EkkoSense, and we’re eager to implement the software around our wider campus to extend these capabilities. It’s very difficult to manually inspect every element of a data centre to identify inefficiencies and make improvements. EkkoSense provides a highly granular level of data and visualisation to help support our green agenda and ensure our customers meet their sustainability targets,” says Paul Lewis, Senior Operations Director, Telehouse. “The initial results achieved with Telehouse have proved promising, but this is just the beginning. Our technology works to continuously identify optimisation opportunities and push the efficiency of Telehouse’s operations that little bit further. We’re looking forward to rolling out our unique visualisation and monitoring software at the organisation’s other sites to help progress its sustainability stature,” says Dean Boyle, CEO, EkkoSense.

How reliable is your backup power?

By Paul Brickman, Commercial Director at Crestchic What does good look like? It’s no surprise that the data centre sector’s reliance on UPS is on the up, and the onus is often on the site manager or maintenance teams to ensure the equipment that provides this power is reliable, well-maintained, and fit for purpose. The maintenance and regular testing of a UPS primary power source is considered best practice and any business that runs this sort of system will likely have a programme of maintenance in place. But this is only half a job done. There remains an astonishing number of data centres that fail to regularly test their backup power system, despite it lying dormant for the majority of the year. Instead, data centres are putting their trust in fate, hoping that the backup system will activate without fail - a fool’s game given the increasing cost of downtime. Why factory testing is not enough UPS systems and backup generators are typically tested at the factory as part of the manufacturing and quality testing process. Some businesses mistakenly think that this will be sufficient to ensure the equipment will operate effectively after installation. The reality is that on-site climatic conditions such as temperature and humidity often vary between locations. These variations in environment, combined with the impact of lifting, moving and transporting sensitive equipment, can mean that the manufacturer-verified testing may be thrown off kilter by on-site conditions or even human intervention during installation. For this reason, it is absolutely critical that backup power systems are commissioned accurately and tested in-situ in actual site conditions using a load bank. Where unplanned downtime is likely to be costly or even devastating to a business’ financial stability - having backup power such as a generator is crucial. Wherever power is generated, there is also a need for a load bank - a device that is used to create an electrical load that imitates the operational or ‘real’ load that a generator would use in normal operational conditions. In short, the load bank is used to test, support, or protect a critical backup power source and ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon. Backup power testing best practice A robust and proactive approach to the maintenance and testing of the power system is crucial to mitigate the risk of failure. However, implementing a testing regime that validates the reliability and performance of backup power must be done under the types of loads found in real operational conditions. What would be considered best practice for testing a backup power system? Ideally, all generators should be tested annually for real-world emergency conditions using a resistive-reactive 0.8pf load bank. Best practice dictates that all gensets (where there are multiple) should be run in a synchronised state, ideally for eight hours but for a minimum of three. Where a reactive-only load bank is used, testing should be increased to four times per year at three hours per test. In carrying out this testing and maintenance, fuel, exhaust and cooling systems and alternator insulation resistance are effectively tested, and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime. Why is resistive-reactive the best approach? Capable of testing both resistive and reactive loads, this type of load bank provides a much clearer picture of how well an entire system will withstand changes in load pattern while experiencing the level of power that would typically be encountered under real operational conditions. Furthermore, the inductive loads used in resistive-reactive testing will show how a system will cope with a voltage drop in its regulator. This is particularly important in any application which requires generators to be operated in parallel (prevalent in larger business infrastructures such as hospital or data banks) where a problem with one generator could prevent other system generators from working properly or even failing to operate entirely. This is something which is simply not achievable with resistive-only testing. Secure your power source The importance of testing is being clearly recognised in many new data centres, with the installation of load banks often being specified at the design stage rather than being added retrospectively. Given that the cost of a load bank is typically only a fraction of that of the systems which it supports, this makes sound commercial sense and enables a preventative maintenance regime, based on regular and rigorous testing and reporting, to be put in place from day one. While testing of power systems is not yet a condition of insurance, some experts believe it is only a matter of time before this becomes the case. At the very least, by adopting a proactive testing regime, data centres can take preventative action towards mitigating the catastrophic risk associated with power loss.

Vertiv offers scalable busbar power distribution system

Vertiv has continued the expansion of its power distribution portfolio with the availability of the Vertiv Powerbar iMPB, a modular busbar system designed to enable seamless, on-demand power upgrades in dynamic data centre environments. Available in both copper and aluminium conductor offerings, the Vertiv Powerbar iMPB family features capacities from 160A to 1,000A and delivers reliable overhead power distribution, with the inherent benefit of also maximising cooling airflow. The system is ideal for use in almost any size or style of data centre, as well as laboratories, distribution warehouses, adaptable manufacturing plants and other dynamic environments. The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB is available in North America, Latin America, Asia - including Australia and New Zealand, India, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The busway system allows businesses to cost-effectively optimise and adapt power distribution infrastructure over time, maximising availability through continuous power delivery to critical loads. User-friendly tap-off boxes with breaker protection can be placed anywhere along the busway and isolate active IT loads and nearby branch breakers to ensure continuous power delivery. The adaptive busbar comes with a simple sandwich-style joint pack construction that makes installation secure and easy, with no special tooling required. The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB includes a variety of capacity and connection configurations to allow for adjustments and upgrades with minimal outside support and no loss of power to critical loads. “As more and more devices are added and higher rack densities become commonplace, space is at a premium in today’s data centres,” says Phil O’Doherty, Managing Director, E&I at Vertiv. “The power infrastructure must keep pace, which means being scalable and quick to deploy. The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB delivers on all fronts with a modular, easy-to-install system that is compact and flexible enough to meet constantly changing demands.” The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB is UL 857 and IEC 61439-2 compliant, and the lightweight aluminium busway track chassis has an IP2X/3X safety rating with integrated finger-safe capabilities and ground-first/break-last design to ensure maximum safety while servicing. With both copper and recyclable aluminium conductor options, the busbar can be configured to meet the conductivity and safety requirements of any installation. The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB, a mature offering from Vertiv’s E&I brand, will supersede the previous Vertiv Liebert MBX busway product that was available in North America and EMEA, and is compatible with the previous offering. The Vertiv Powerbar iMPB solution complements the Vertiv E&I switchgear range to provide a complete power distribution solution. www.vertiv.com

Vertiv introduces new lithium-ion UPS and cooling solutions

Vertiv has introduced new power and cooling solutions for the edge of the network, including the addition of lithium-ion models to one of the industry’s leading on-line UPS families. The Vertiv Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion UPS range and the Vertiv Liebert SRC-G room cooling solution are now available throughout Asia, including Australia and New Zealand. “We understand the growing complexities of managing computing at the edge of the network,” says Andy Liu, Director for Integrated Rack Solutions at Vertiv in Asia. “Availability, efficiency and agility are vital to our customers, and our new offerings meet these requirements, with lithium-ion technology in compact UPS, and a high-efficiency room cooling system for small IT spaces. In addition, these high-efficiency systems can support our customers’ sustainability strategies in the data centre space.” Vertiv leveraged the higher power density of lithium-ion to pack more battery runtime in the same amount of space as a typical valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery. The Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion, ranging in sizes from 1kVA to 3kVA, also supports scalable runtime, with a 1U lithium-ion external battery cabinet (EBC). In addition, lithium-ion batteries typically last eight to 10 years - roughly the lifespan of the UPS itself - compared to about two to three years for VRLA, potentially eliminating costly and inconvenient battery replacements. Lithium-ion batteries are also significantly lighter than VRLA batteries and perform better at higher temperatures, reducing the need for lower temperatures in the rack and by extension, lowering the costs of energy used for cooling. The Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion comes with five years standard warranty for both UPS unit and battery. To meet UL standards, the lithium-ion batteries include an integrated battery management system that monitors the battery at the cell level to enable safe, efficient operation. The Vertiv Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion is compatible with the Vertiv Liebert MicroPOD, an optional maintenance bypass switch that can be installed in the rack behind the UPS, enabling maintenance to the UPS without taking the protected rack equipment offline. Meanwhile, the Liebert SRC-G delivers the optimal availability and efficiency in cooling small IT spaces. Available from 3kW to 11kW, the Liebert SRC-G is wall-mounted, occupying no ‘white space’ while providing year-round cooling to IT equipment. The CE-certified Liebert SRC-G series is capable of supporting sensible load operation year-round. It is equipped with energy efficient electronically commutated (EC) fan technology and refrigerant R410A, together with efficient compressor technology. The Liebert SRC-G also features an advanced controller, including remote monitoring capabilities for added intelligence when managing edge IT locations. www.vertiv.com

Panduit launches SmartZone intelligent UPS family

Panduit has introduced the SmartZone Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) family to EMEA region, delivering simple to install and use, highly efficient and reliable power with the capability to integrate into Panduit’s SmartZone DCIM software and provide intelligent systems and environmental alerts, consistent power protection and backup for critical computer ITE. The SmartZone UPS family offers excellent electrical performance, intelligent battery management and a long lifespan (with lithium-ion units offering 97% efficiency). Compliant with ENERGY STAR 2.0, EMC, and safety standards, it is guaranteed that the SmartZone UPS meets the continually growing power demands of data centre, enterprise, and edge IT equipment. The rack-mounted SmartZone UPS family focuses on high reliability, power density, efficiency, and secure manageability. This UPS range offers models with various power ratings, configurations, and battery types to meet application-specific needs, and includes 1-3kVA, 5-10kVA and 10/15/20kVA online double conversion units, equipped with powerful and maintenance-free batteries. All SmartZone UPS units offer a 79mm (3.5in) touch screen colour display. The screen auto-detects the UPS mounting orientation and auto-rotates to support horizontal in-rack installation or vertical tower installation. Three-phase UPS Developed for critical computer environments, such as data centres and edge, Panduit’s SmartZone UPS’ offer an integrated solution with UPS connectivity with multiple external battery packs (EBP) and an external Maintenance Bypass Switch (MBS). For larger systems the UPS can be configured as three-phase in/three-phase out high-density UPS, or as three-phase in/single-phase out high-density UPS. Digital signal processor controlled, the units offer superior reliability, high power efficiency and constant self-protection and self-diagnostics to provide maximum system availability. The battery charging current is user selectable, allowing the battery charging parameters to be optimised for utilisation and battery life. Furthermore, the system offers innovative three-stage charging to extend service life and guarantee fast charging. Efficient ECO mode The UPS can be manually configured to operate in either normal or ECO mode. Normal mode (online double conversion) is the default mode for the UPS unit and operates as a stable pure sine wave AC output and charges the battery. When in normal mode and the load is not critical, the UPS can be set to ECO mode to increase the efficiency of the power supplied. SmartZone As an intelligent UPS solution, the SmartZone UPS can be integrated into common control and monitoring systems, such as the cloud based DCIM application SmartZone Cloud. This web-based application can manage, monitor, and control energy consumption, environmental data, security components, connectivity, and IT resources. For secure infrastructure monitoring, the SmartZone cloud application collects and processes real-time data from the integrated systems and sends timely alerts to prevent potential failures. This allows risks to be efficiently minimised and costly system failures to be prevented.   

Reducing the carbon footprint of data centre standby power

The IEA estimates that the energy consumption of data centres comprises around 1% of final electricity demand globally. This figure is understood to rise as high as 4% in the UK and Ireland to reach 15%. There is a clear consensus and impetus within the industry to move to carbon free technology. For example, Google has stated its objective to operate on 24/7 100% carbon-free energy by 2030. Focus is given, understandably, to how energy demands for key applications such as cooling can be reduced, increasing supply from renewable sources such as solar or wind power. But if data centre operators are to truly run on 100% carbon-free energy, then all methods of energy consumption must be considered. This should include how standby power is generated, with a clear roadmap established to ensure a transition to low and carbon-free energy without compromising the critical role this plays in keeping assets running during energy outages or times of unpredictable supply. Finning has been working closely with a number of major industry players to establish the best solution to achieve this. Balancing reliability with sustainability Current reliance on diesel generators for standby power is well established, primarily because of their practical benefits. They are readily available, reliable as a mature technology and able to quickly ramp-up to seamlessly cover issues with main power supplies. Given that data centres must mitigate any risks that may be posed to maintaining mission critical services for the likes of hospitals and other public services, the advantages in terms of reliability that existing technology offers must be carefully considered as we transition away from fossil fuels. Indeed, in the understandably risk-averse data centre sector we are likely to see a phased transition to a balance between maintaining the benefits of existing technology, with the importance of using carbon-free energy. HVO providing a smart first step A first step in this transition is the growing use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). Produced from certified waste fats and oils, HVO is manufactured using a synthesised process with hydrogen to offer a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Although not entirely carbon-free, HVO can eliminate up to 90% of the carbon emissions caused when compared with the production and use of conventional diesel. Another key advantage is that it can be used as a drop-in replacement for diesel in many engines, as well as used with existing diesel or biodiesel stocks. For example, provided the fuel meets standard requirements, Caterpillar generators built after the year 2000 are able to run on HVO. Given the ease with which they can be integrated into existing assets, Finning has seen growing interest from data centre operators in the use of HVO in tandem with diesel to lower the carbon footprint of their standby generators. Whilst use of HVO with conventional diesel has been the most common approach, there have been high profile cases where a move to 100% HVO has been taken - allowing even greater reductions in carbon emission. Last year, Microsoft announced that all Cat generator sets at its new data centres being constructed in Sweden would run on HVO, providing the final element to obtaining all of its energy needs from renewable sources. Longer term benefits of hydrogen Whilst HVO is a convenient and highly effective drop-in replacement for existing diesel equipment, it is not entirely carbon-free. Furthermore, the sheer scale of demand for fuel means that it is unlikely to become a permanent solution, due to its production being limited by how much vegetable oil and fat is available globally.  Hydrogen has been touted as a more likely long-term solution, with advances in blue (the splitting of natural gas into hydrogen and CO2, with the resulting carbon captured) and green (splitting water by electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen) production set to help create the volumes needed to replace fossil fuels on a global scale. Whilst those production volumes are yet to come, plans are in action, and it is an area that data centre operators should explore when looking at the next generation of sustainable equipment. As with HVO, a blended approach may be the likeliest next step with gas gensets configured to allow for a blended fuel containing up to 25% hydrogen. Manufacturers such as Caterpillar are rolling out gas generators configured out-of-the-factory to enable operation on natural gas blended with hydrogen. Adaptation of existing gensets can be done with the use of retrofit kits for some equipment, making it an appealing quick win as hydrogen availability increases. Rising industry interest and development of hydrogen supply infrastructure means that 100% hydrogen gensets are in advanced stages of development and we will likely see trials of this equipment in the near future. Where next for data centres? For those that haven’t already adopted it, HVO is the next natural step to take as trials on 100% hydrogen gensets move forwards. Adding Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) can also make a notable difference in minimising emissions. Finning says it is also seeing a growing number of new sites considering the use of a microgrid system which allows a combination of power generation sources (photovoltaic solar modules, energy storage, gas and diesel). Smart microgrids mean efficient power that can be produced where and when it's needed without transmission lines and transformer losses. These high performance, scalable systems are designed and built using standardised building blocks that are easy and quick to install even in challenging environments. With the potential risk if transition of standby power is not delivered smoothly, it’s also critical to ensure you have the right partner to identify the best solution for your specific requirements. Working with a specialist such as Finning means you can not only access this invaluable expertise and advice but also gain insights into the latest testing and performance information as newer technology such as hydrogen gensets are brought to market - helping you to get maximum uptime with minimum carbon emissions.

How data centres can tackle their environmental impact

By Inspired Energy Environmental impact is something more and more data centres are looking into as part of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, where data centres commit to become climate neutral by 2030. Alongside this, the demand for data centres is increasing, with data becoming the new fuel as we continue to innovate and rely more on data and technology in our day to day lives. But how can data centres tackle their environmental impact without affecting efficiency? Tackling the environmental impact With many data centres having already developed net zero and heat decarbonisation plans, here are some key areas of focus to tackle environmental impact without impacting efficiency: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions GHG emissions are a main measure for many businesses on their journey to net zero, however data centres are often measured by carbon intensity. This metric provides a relative comparison of GHG emissions characteristics after factoring in the scale of a business and the emission rate. Most businesses are already reporting on their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and only large LLPs are required to report on some of their Scope 3 emissions under the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) scheme. Although some businesses are voluntarily reporting their Scope 3 emissions as it’s likely they will become mandatory in the future. Data centres who report on their Scope 3 are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability as one of the largest energy consumers. Sourcing renewable energy As energy intensive users, data centres are turning towards renewable energy to support their net zero commitments. Some larger data centres are securing renewable energy partnerships to power their sites. Renewable energy procurement can help to reduce or even eliminate Scope 2 emissions and there are a number of purchasing options. A virtual or physical Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), where renewable energy is purchased directly from an energy generator, or green tariffs secured through an energy provider are also another route to sourcing renewable power, along with on-site generation and renewable energy certificates. Calculating your Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) Data centres should look to optimise their PUE score to achieve maximum efficiency by reducing the amount of energy used for anything other than running equipment. Data centres looking to reduce their PUE may find it challenging to reduce both costs and improve their environmental impact. However, there are ways to optimise PUE: Allowing server rooms to operate at a higher temperatureReducing the density and therefore energy consumed per square metre - this helps to dissipate heat but can be counteractive to other practicesImprove the flow of cool air in computer rooms through containment solutionsOptimising the production of cool air through combined use of outside air and heat exchangersLocating data centres in the Artic or under the sea Cooling Data centres use water for cooling their equipment in cooling towers. Many servers in a hyperscale data centre require a larger cooling capacity but water consumption varies due to the climate and the type of cooling system used. Large data centres may rely on evaporative cooling which uses less energy, but the process requires more water - often the preferred approach as it’s less expensive. Whilst data centres need to start paying attention to their water consumption and WUE, they should also explore how to use water more efficiently. From increasing cycles of concentration in cooling towering to switching to chemical treatments to demineralise evaporating surfaces and recommissions to reduce cool load. Hardware Hardware can also be a part of the solution when it comes to reducing emissions whilst ensuring performance efficiency. New processors to increase computing power without increasing energy consumption isn’t far off as the ongoing ‘arms race’ between chip-makers encouraged innovation of the energy computing ratio. Not only this but updating old, outdated, broken and inefficient equipment is also part of supporting the overall efforts to tackling environmental impact. Software AI software can also play a role by supporting data centres to better manage their infrastructure and maximising the utilisation of their CPUs. This will help to mitigate and alleviate consumption issues and deliver energy savings. Improving CPU performance will help data centres keep up with demand for data processing and help reduce the number of processors they need to achieve the same or more computing processes. Data storage can also be optimised to reduce environmental impact. Working through these key areas of focus, your data centre can tackle its environmental impact to further its progress to carbon neutral by 2030.

Smart power management in buildings and data centres

By Matthias Gerber, Market Manager LAN Cabling, Reichle & De Massari and Carsten Ludwig, Market Manager DCr, Reichle & De-Massari AG Regulations regarding energy savings required to reach climate goals are becoming increasingly stringent. Recent research from Deloitte shows that buildings are currently responsible for 30-40% of all urban emissions. This must be reduced by 80-90% in order to achieve COP21 targets by 2050. Using intelligence in digital buildings is essential to achieving this. However, according to the BSRIA ‘Trends in the global structured cabling markets’ report (April 2022), no more than 1-2% of buildings deploy cutting edge smart technologies. Buildings everywhere need to be renovated and managed smarter. For buildings to become more energy efficient, they need to become smarter. All energy needs to be used wisely and not wasted on anything that might be considered unnecessary - an intelligent building connects all devices, automates processes and leverages data to improve performance. Intelligent buildings continuously learn, adapt and respond. This can highlight areas where energy usage is being wasted and help find solutions so that HVAC systems, smart lighting, and other in-building systems (sensors) reduce their energy consumption. This approach makes it possible to better manage resources and utilities. Sensors provide the foundation for intelligent buildings. Today, almost every device can function as a sensor. In the past, every system would have its own sensors, but these didn’t exchange data or interact. In the smart home environment, we’re seeing something similar today: numerous ‘island’ solutions, with each manufacturer using their own platform and integrated devices. However, it makes more sense to use an existing sensor in an installed device, instead of adding the same type of sensor to multiple devices. Convergence is now allowing information from individual devices to be used to optimise the performance of other devices and the system as a whole. The converged network brings IT and OT together. Security protocols can run from enterprise servers, removing the need for protection of individual networks. One single interface and dashboard can be used to manage and control lighting, heating, ventilation and security. An ‘all-IP’ network allows all devices to use one common language, supporting integration and optimisation. All building technology and building management devices communicate in the same way, without barriers, over Ethernet/Internet Protocol (Ethernet/IP), with the LAN providing the basis for physical communication. IP-based convergence enables sharing of resources across applications and brings standardisation, availability, reliability and support for new deployments. The ‘digital ceiling’ concept supports ‘All over IP’ implementations. The data network and PoE are extended through an entire building’s ceiling, making it possible to connect building automation devices within defined zones with pre-installed overhead connecting points. The ‘digital ceiling’ will increasingly provide services that building occupants and managers are going to need in the near future and for years to come, enhancing user experience while reducing energy usage, making maintenance and adding new devices faster and easier, lowering installation and device costs, and increasing layout flexibility. A closer look at energy management in the data centre Data centres are responsible for some 2% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is almost the same as the entire global airline industry. For some time, designers and operators have been using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, developed by businesses, NGOs, government bodies and other stakeholders to evaluate their supply chain and performance. Similar initiatives such as the recently published Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, initiated by CISPE, point the way ahead for the data centre industry. Besides security, energy and (especially) cooling are key talking points in the data centre industry. Of every kilowatt used in the DC, the biggest portion is turned into heat. You can improve power efficiency by using more efficient equipment and thereby reduce heat production, but there is always some excess heat. The question is how to deal with this heat in a way that results in the least environmental harm.  One approach is using liquid-cooled PCBs so that components on the circuit board don’t heat up and, therefore, don’t pass on heat to the chassis or rack. This uses dedicated horizontal pre-terminated rack boxes which have connections for fibre and copper, cooling fluid and power. However, you will need specialised hardware for this, that will be difficult to swap out when you want to make changes. Cooling precisely at source is very efficient. By cooling individual components, heat is reduced, and their operational lifetime improves. This approach is complicated and requires some preparation based on the needs of individual applications, the nature of the business the hardware is used for, and the business case. Another way of dealing with heat is distributing the components across a wider area. Concentrating as many racks as possible in a huge data centre may bring economies of scale and some practical benefits, but it also concentrates a vast amount of heat production in one space - and isn’t always technically necessary. When hardware becomes outdated or a new user needs to be connected, edge hardware could be moved from, for example, a mid-sized enterprise customer location to a hyperscale facility. Later, it might even be moved from the mid-sized location to an even smaller private location. Intelligent architecture that carefully considers hot and cold aisles is another approach. The less room you need to cool, the less energy you need. Bad examples can be found, with huge rooms being cooled, even though they house just one small containment in a corner. The airflow is a mess in such a case, and the use of energy is extremely inefficient. Cooled air needs to be as close to the equipment as possible and should only cool targeted areas. Wherever DCIM software is used, the company sees power and cooling monitoring engaged as a minimum. In fact, often these are the ONLY monitored KPIs. Not only does this help avoid energy waste but it also improves stability of the system, avoiding malfunctions or even fires. If connectivity doesn't work, performance is harmed, but there’s no physical danger to the system or to people. However, not knowing the status of power and cooling can lead to real damage. It’s also interesting to consider the true price of all the data we’re generating. Many people are wondering why we’re spending so much power on storing. Some don’t realise how much power their phones, tablet and computers use, and how much energy it requires to transport and store all this data. Maybe it would be good if we thought about the environment every time we posted something online!

Scope 3 emissions: the time for bold leadership is now

By David Craig, Chief Executive Officer, Iceotope Technology offers us a path forward to meet the demands of the current climate challenges. The real question becomes, do we have the leadership to embrace it? Lately, it seems as if every time we scroll through our news feeds, we are confronted with the realities of climate change. Europe is in the midst of the worst energy crisis in decades, even prior to the war in Ukraine, exasperating the situation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is regularly issuing reports on the severe impact of climate change on global society. Weather patterns around the world are becoming more extreme, resulting in fires, floods and more powerful hurricanes than ever before. The best corporations don’t just want to be seen as doing the right thing, but genuinely are doing the right thing when it comes to climate change. Businesses and industries have begun to track their carbon emissions through the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, a widely sponsored international standardised framework to measure greenhouse gas. The protocol divides the emissions into three different scopes, commonly defined as: ● Scope 1 - direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. ● Scope 2 - indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. ● Scope 3 - all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain. Today, the scopes are designed to be voluntary. Scopes 1 and 2 are relatively easy for a company to own and track. Scope 3 goes to the level of actually understanding the carbon lifecycle of your entire footprint from cradle to grave. The corporate value chain measures Scope 3 emissions across 15 different categories from goods and services to transportation to business travel to end-of-life product disposal. For many companies, this accounts for more than 70% of their carbon footprint. Companies that are signing up to Scope 1 and 2 will absolutely insist that their supply chains do so as well. For data centre users, this can be a bit tricky, particularly when it comes to the cloud, where GHG emissions can be harder to calculate. When workloads are moved to the cloud, an organisation is no longer generating direct emissions or purchasing energy, both of which are covered under Scope 1 and 2 emissions, respectively. Those emissions are now part of Scope 3. Add to that, a significant proportion of carbon emissions across computing platforms actually come from hardware manufacturing as well as operational system use. Meta recently shared meta-analysis of sustainability reports and life cycle analyses from researchers identifying this trend. Despite improvements in software and hardware efficiencies, a mobile device, for example, may need a three year longer lifespan to amortise the carbon footprint created by their manufacture. The good news is there are solutions data centre operators can incorporate that immediately help in reducing carbon emissions. One solution is precision immersion liquid cooling. Liquid cooling offers the ability to reduce infrastructure energy use by 40%, slash water consumption by greater than 90% and improve pPUE to 1.03, which is further enhanced by server energy reductions often of 10% and more. Alternate forms of power generation, such as hydrogen fuel cells, are quickly becoming economically viable alternatives to UPS and diesel generators. Microsoft has been testing and implementing the technology and sees long term benefits beyond reducing carbon emissions. What all of this requires, however, is the courage to lead. Many of these ‘low hanging fruits’ are new ways of doing business. They are moving away from a well-known technology solution to one that has greater perceived risk. Now is not the time for incrementalism. We are facing a global climate crisis and need bold leadership to make hard choices and take swift action. There is a real competitive advantage opportunity for companies willing to adopt new technologies and find a new way to do business.  A business doesn’t grow by cutting back. A Gartner study from 2019 shows what differentiates winning companies in times of change, stating “first, progressive business leaders prepare to navigate turns even before the turns are clearly in view. Second, their mindset and actions before, during and after the turns separate their organisation from the pack and determine its long-term destiny.” Those that invest when change is happening are the companies that rocket and accelerate out of the downturn. The Scope 1, 2 and 3 protocols create a language, a framework and an expectation. In other words, they create an opportunity for businesses to navigate one of the biggest technology challenges we will face this decade. Governments, particularly in the UK and Europe, are committed to net zero initiatives and ensuring they are met. The public is embracing the seriousness of the crisis and the youth of today will hold us all accountable. It’s no longer about optics, but rather our competitive ability to survive and keep our planet healthy. Technology will play a significant role in this. Those who will become the heroes of this story are those who demonstrate bold leadership and embrace the changes that need to come.