HP and Danfoss aim to curb data centre energy consumption

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Danfoss are collaborating to deliver the HPE IT Sustainability Services – Data Centre Heat Recovery, an off-the shelf heat recovery module, helping organisations manage and value excess heat as they transition towards more sustainable IT facilities.

The rapid integration of AI technologies across organisations and businesses is expected to have a dramatic increase in the power demand and utilisation of AI optimised IT infrastructure.

According to the International Energy Agency, by 2026 the AI industry is expected to have grown exponentially to consume at least ten times its electricity demand in 2023. To mitigate these challenges, IT leaders and data centre facility operators are taking action to reduce energy usage, such as implementing modern power-efficient capabilities and improved cooling systems. 

Excess heat in the EU alone represents an estimated 2,860 TWh/y, almost equal to the EU’s total energy demand for heat and hot water in residential and service sector buildings. The flow of excess heat from data centres is uninterruptible and therefore constitutes a very reliable source of clean energy.

“Our strategic partnership with HPE is a great example of how we revolutionise building and decarbonising the data centre industry together with customers,” said Jürgen Fischer, president, Danfoss Climate Solutions. “With this latest cross-industry partnership we’re building the blueprint for the next generation of sustainable data centres – using technologies available today”.

“The Data Center industry is booming in MENA, and at Danfoss we are committed to providing solutions to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance energy efficiency. This is one of the excellent initiatives taken, where we lead the way in providing the industry with the right know-how and paving the way to greener data centres”, added Ziad Al Bawaliz, regional president at Danfoss Turkey, Middle East and Africa.

Modularity's advantages and flexibility

Direct liquid cooling (DLC) technologies are included into HPE's MDC to optimise energy production and distribution and increase energy efficiency by more than 20%, resulting in significant energy savings.

The compact design maximises the temperature differential between the input and exit, which encourages the capture of excess heat, and minimises energy loss by shortening the distance for the transmission of energy and cooling fluid. Additionally, the MDC's flexibility and the removal of heavy industrial components significantly shorten the time to market by eliminating the requirement for pricey, traditional building materials.

Three times as fast as with typical data centres, deployment can be completed in as little as six months, as opposed to eighteen.

Last but not least, the MDCs' smaller footprint and adaptability enable their placement close to data creation locations, which lessens the energy impact and bottlenecks related to sophisticated networking solutions and data transfer while simultaneously promoting improved data governance and security.

“At HPE, we believe in the power of collaboration to create transformative solutions,” said Sue Preston, vice president and general manager, WW Advisory & Professional Services & Managed Services, HPE. “Our partnership with Danfoss brings together HPE’s innovative modular data centre with Danfoss’ groundbreaking heat reuse technology. Together, we are not just adding value; we are multiplying it. By harnessing the typically untapped resource of waste heat, turning waste into worth, showing the future of energy usage is efficient, intelligent, and, most importantly, achievable now.”