The companies Danfoss, Google, Microsoft, and Schneider Electric – with the Danish Data Center Industry – have launched a Pan-European Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers, in Fredericia, Denmark.
The number of internet users has only increased. Amidst this, the data center industry is working to reduce energy footprint in areas such as energy efficiency, cooling, the supply chain, and improvements of the grid.
The Net Zero Innovation Hub launch allows these launcher companies to bring the stakeholders in the European sector – including regulators, researchers, operators, utility providers, NGOs, and grid/network services.
It will allow participants to arrive at collaborations, develop solutions, and easy implementation for the transition. It will also be beneficial to share best practices and guidance from people who are knowledgeable in the field.
The initial phase plans to develop solutions to lower or equalize the data centers’ carbon emissions, and also contribute to the stabilization of the electricity grid.
The Hub plans to target projects in Scope 1, 2, and 3. These are different kinds of greenhouse gas emissions that companies produce.
The Hub plans –
- Scope 1 for cutting emissions –
Hub will look at projects for diesel generation alternatives, substitute fuels, and heat reuse.
- Scope 2 as for indirect emissions –
The Hub will aim better utilization of carbon-free energy sources such as wind and solar for power generation.
- Scope 3 for embodied emissions –
The Hub will partner with suppliers and academia to research how to decarbonize raw materials like concrete, steel, and aluminum, allowing data centers to be built more sustainably in the future.
The Danish Data Center Industry will act as secretariat for the initiative.
Henrik Hansen, CEO of Danish Data Center Industry, says, “This initiative reflects the level of commitment and responsibility the data center industry is willing to take to solve the challenges ahead.”
“The roadmap to zero-carbon data centers requires solutions beyond the industry’s capabilities to solve independently.”
“The open-sourced approach with stakeholders, both within and outside of the industry, will significantly accelerate the industry towards net zero, aligning with EU’s ambitions for data centers by 2030”.
The partner companies quotes –
Danfoss
Jürgen Fischer, President Danfoss Climate Solutions, says, “We want to revolutionize how we build data centers! Danfoss is already working with our customers to build decarbonized data centers, but we need to speed things up and do it in partnerships across borders and industries.”
“That’s why Danfoss is proud to launch the Net Zero Innovation Hub For Data Centers, a neutral meeting place where key players can enter into collaboration to build better and more sustainable data centers.”
JP Clausen, VP of Engineering and Data Center Innovation, said, “The rapid pace of digitization, enabled by the data center industry, has many benefits to people and businesses – from rapid access to information, to increased connectivity.”
“That development, however, also requires that the data industry as a whole sets the bar for sustainability as high as possible – and builds a bridge to the rest of society.”
“Denmark is a green corridor to Europe and the rest of the world. That is why I am both happy and proud that we have succeeded in bringing the Innovation Hub to Fredericia.”
Microsoft
Sean James, Sr Director of Datacenter Research, said, “Microsoft is excited to join this initiative with Danfoss, Google, and Schneider Electric. Our commitment is clear: as we meet customer demand and expand data center capacity, it must be done without increasing our climate footprint.”
“We believe partnerships like this are essential to drive energy efficiency innovation and secure renewable energy sources.”
“Leveraging our joint expertise in cloud computing, sustainable energy and cooling solutions, we aim to transform data center design and operations for a greener future.”
Schneider Electric
Mic Seremet, Product Owner, Schneider Electric Kolding, says, “Our grid is under pressure as we’re shifting from a few centralized fossil fueled power plants to a decentralized energy landscape with a large number of renewable sources.”
“This means we must rethink our energy landscape. We are looking very much forward to contributing to this transformation as part of the Hub, with concrete solutions, such as a technology platform that turns data centers into active decarbonization players, provides flexibility to deploy innovative energy resource technologies while accelerating data center construction to help facilitate this transformation.”
“The NZIH aligns perfectly with our commitment to being an Impact Company, joining our forces to drive the sustainability agenda.”
