How Digital Realty & Ecolab’s AI is Powering Sustainability

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Digital Realty & Ecolab’s AI is powering water conservation initiative in data centres
Digital Realty joins Ecolab to implement AI-driven water management systems across data centres, aiming to reduce water consumption and improve efficiency

The global digital economy relies heavily on data centres, which serves as the backbone of internet infrastructure.

These facilities house servers and networking equipment that power cloud computing, online services and digital communications worldwide.

However, data centres face growing scrutiny due to their substantial energy and water consumption.

As climate change concerns intensify, the technology industry is under pressure to reduce its environmental footprint.

Water scarcity, in particular, has become a critical issue in many regions where data centres operate.

Tackling this challenge, AI-driven water management Digital Realty, a company that owns and operates data centres globally, has announced an expansion of its partnership with Ecolab, a provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions.

What does the Digital Reality partnership with Ecolab aim to achieve?

The collaboration aims to address the data centre industry's water consumption challenges through the implementation of artificial intelligence technology, according to industry reports.

The initiative will see Digital Realty deploy an AI-powered water conservation solution across 35 of its data centres in the US.

This pilot project, implemented by Nalco Water, a division of Ecolab, seeks to enhance water use efficiency and minimise environmental impact.

Vice President of sustainability at Digital Realty, Aaron Binkley

Aaron Binkley, Vice President of sustainability at Digital Realty, stated:

"Collaborating with Ecolab on this AI-driven water conservation initiative aligns with our goals of improving water use efficiency and minimising environmental impact. We're excited about the potential of this solution to set a new standard in water conservation for data centres."

Aaron Binkley, Vice President of Sustainability at Digital Realty

The AI system combines Ecolab's expertise with advanced automation and control technology.

By utilising machine learning models, the system creates actionable water consumption benchmarks, identifies real-time inefficiencies in cooling systems and recommends immediate improvements, the companies report.

But what about environmental impact?

The environmental impact of data centres data centres are known for their substantial energy consumption, often using power equivalent to that of a small city.

However, their water usage, which is equally concerning, has received less public attention, environmental experts say.

These facilities require significant amounts of water for cooling purposes.

For instance, a 15-megawatt data centre in the United States can consume up to 360,000 gallons of water daily, according to industry estimates.

This level of water consumption can potentially impact local communities and ecosystems, especially in areas already facing water scarcity.

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Traditional cooling methods employed by many data centres, such as cooling towers, can pose environmental and health risks.

These systems are often inefficient and can serve as breeding grounds for harmful bacteria like Legionella.

The use of chemicals to mitigate these risks further compounds the environmental impact, water management experts say.

Outcomes and broader impact of the AI-powered solution

This AI is expected to drive up to a 15% reduction in water use, extend equipment lifespan and potentially avoid the withdrawal of up to 126 million gallons of potable water from local watersheds annually, according to the companies' projections.

In 2023, Digital Reality and Ecolab’s joint efforts helped Digital Realty reduce water withdrawal from local watersheds by 5% and avoid 986 metric tons of CO2 emissions through restorative energy projects and water use reduction initiatives, the companies report.

However, Digital Realty's commitment to sustainability extends beyond water conservation.

Its Apollo AI platform has also reportedly saved 18 gigawatt-hours of energy.

This latest initiative may contribute to Digital Realty's efforts to achieve the status of a sustainable data centre operator.

Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, Emilio Tenuta

Emilio Tenuta, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, says: "AI is not just revolutionising business; it's also set to transform water and energy efficiency within the tech sector. 

“At Ecolab, we're proud to innovate AI-powered water solutions with Digital Realty, showcasing how next-gen technology can elevate water stewardship across industries."

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