Carbon-neutral data center powered by ice storage cooling
In the digital age, data centers are the backbone of economic competitiveness across all industries. As the demand for data and computing power grows, so does the need for energy and cooling. AI applications in particular have a huge appetite for power. According to a study by Bestbrokers, the energy consumed by ChatGPT in one year could fully charge approximately 3.13 million electric vehicles with an average battery capacity of 72.4 kWh. Overall, the global energy demand of data centers is 1-2% of total energy consumption. This is expected to increase to 3-4% by 2030. As a result, CO2 emissions from data centers could more than double.
In order to make the increase in computing power more climate-friendly, new requirements for data centers have been specifically formulated in the German Energy Efficiency Act of 2023. In particular, the energy efficiency of new data centers that go into operation after July 2026 will have to meet much stricter guidelines. In addition, by 2027, all data centers must meet at least all of their energy needs from renewable sources.
50% of the energy required for cold supply
Depending on the data center, up to 50% of energy consumption is attributable to the cooling of high-performance servers and IT systems. This means that cooling these systems in particular offers significant potential for efficiency gains. At the same time, the cooling supply for data centers poses special challenges: It must be reliably available around the clock, while renewable energy sources are, by their very nature, subject to fluctuations. This is exactly where ice storage systems come in. They store cold, balance out peak loads, and make it possible to design chillers to meet average demand rather than short-term peak loads.
This makes it possible to optimize energy demand, system sizing, and operating costs while simultaneously creating additional storage capacity for a flexible energy supply. This makes ice storage a key technology for saving energy and resources in the cooling of data centers and server farms.
sp.ICE - Dynamic cooling for data center peak loads
While ice storage systems are generally suitable for adapting the energy efficiency of data centers and server farms to the legal requirements for the reasons mentioned, the sp.ICE ice storage system is also characterized by its dynamic performance, which also makes it interesting for use as an emergency cooler.
The patented heat exchanger with capillary tube technology ensures extremely fast charging and discharging. The buffer tank can be fully charged in as little as 6 hours and can then cool the data center when server capacity is at a premium or when the cooling system fails.
Thanks to the modular design of the sp.ICE, the cooling capacity can be easily adapted to the needs of the data center. Our standard modules of 1.1 MWh, 2.4 MWh and 5 MWh can be combined as required and integrated with the rest of the cooling technology. The container solution takes up little space and can be easily integrated into structural requirements both above and below ground.
Our engineers are experienced in designing ice storage solutions for data centers and can assist with planning and implementation.
