Data centre and power news: April 2023
As noise control solution providers to partners in the data centre and power generation industries, Wiltech Acoustics is constantly keeping up with the latest developments in these sectors. Here are some of the latest trends, including news on the UK’s largest solar farm and what AI means for the data centre industry…
Stellium goes solar
UK-based company Stellium Datacenters has launched a self-funding solar and battery storage solution at its Newcastle facility to reduce its carbon footprint and lower energy costs for customers. The project includes a rooftop solar photovoltaic system and a 2.3 MWh battery storage unit — to put it into context, that’s roughly enough energy to power 600 homes for a year — and both will connect to the data centre’s electrical infrastructure. This solution will help Stellium reduce its carbon emissions and lower energy costs for its customers, and the facility has achieved the highest certification for sustainable buildings.
EU seeks grid flexibility
Euractiv reports that the EU is banking on energy efficiency technology to provide flexibility to grids as it shuts down coal plants and phases out gas-fired power stations. The European Commission aims to tap into demand-response solutions such as those which allow households to manage their electricity consumption as they are seen as a cheaper alternative to gas-fired generation. Energy efficiency technologies could also enable wind and solar power to meet EU climate goals, according to EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson.
Data centres tackle biofouling
Data centres are helping to tackle ‘biofouling’ — a phenomenon where living organisms like algae and seaweed attach themselves to boats, leading to increased emissions and the spread of invasive species. To combat this problem, Hullbot, an Australian robotics startup, has developed autonomous underwater robots to inspect and clean boat hulls sustainably. To handle the large amounts of data generated, Hullbot has partnered with Engineroom, which provides high-performance computing (HPC) data centre hardware and expertise. With Engineroom’s help, Hullbot can process data in unique and demanding ways, developing innovative solutions to address this significant environmental challenge.
Work starts on UK’s largest solar farm
The FT reports that construction has begun on the UK’s largest solar farm and battery storage plant, Kent’s Project Fortress, which is expected to generate enough renewable power to meet the needs of around 100,000 UK homes upon completion in 2024. The plant is being built on 890 acres of countryside and is the first solar farm to be approved as a nationally significant infrastructure project.
AI investment on the rise
AI is expected to be one of the biggest areas of investment in the data centre industry over the next few years, according to a recent report by CoreSite. Researchers found that 82% of respondents anticipate their company’s use of AI to increase in the next five years, with no anticipated decrease. Benefits for service providers using AI include improving customer experience and limiting churn, and driving innovation and revenue for new business. AI is helping data centres accommodate the rise of AI, big data, IoT, robotics and the metaverse. It is advancing data centre capabilities in everything from onboarding talent to improving operational efficiency.
Wiltech Acoustics engineer, manufacture and install high-quality noise control solutions for Industrial and Power applications. Contact us to find out more about how we can help your business.