Microsoft's Zero-Water Solution for Data Centre Cooling

Data centres are massive consumers of resources, including water which is used extensively for cooling and maintaining humidity within the facilities.

A single hyperscale data centre can use up to 1.5 million litres of water per day, a significant figure when considering global water scarcity issues.

With the rapid advancement in technology, particularly with the intensive requirements of AI workloads, the need for water in data centres has been steeply rising, posing a substantial challenge not only for operators but also for communities in the vicinity.

In areas prone to drought, such as Maricopa County in Arizona that hosts one of the world’s largest clusters of data centres, the high consumption has sparked intense discussions on water allocation.

Environmental groups and local governments are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of such large-scale water use in technology infrastructures.

In a significant move forward, Microsoft has recently unveiled its plans to implement a ground breaking water-free cooling technology across all its new data centres starting from August 2024.

Keeping it cool: Microsoft's new approach to cooling

The proposed zero-water design pivots from traditional evaporative cooling methods to an advanced chip-level cooling system, which manages temperatures via a closed-loop, water-recycling process.

This new setup will potentially cut down water use by approximately 125 million litres annually for each facility.

“These new liquid cooling technologies are designed to circulate water within a closed network," says Steve Solomon, Vice President of Data Centre Infrastructure Engineering at Microsoft.

"Once the initial setup is complete, the system operates independently, dissipating heat efficiently without additional water intake,” he explains.

This initiative is part of the broader Microsoft Data Centre Community Pledge, indicating the firm’s commitment to not only innovation but also to ecological and community responsibility, acknowledging the growing importance of protecting local water resources.

The data behind the data centre

To quantify their efforts in water conservation, Microsoft is using the Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) index. This metric assesses the annual water consumption relative to the IT equipment’s energy use within the data centres.

With the application of innovative practices and technological shifts, Microsoft has already reduced its WUE from 0.49 L/kWh in 2021 to 0.30 L/kWh, a notable decrease of 39%.

Further sustainability has been driven by operational adjustments such as broadening operational temperature ranges and integrating alternative water sourcing strategies.

Reclaimed and recycled water systems are now operational at several Microsoft facilities across the United States and in Singapore.

With water scarcity issues intensifying, Steve admits, “There’s a long road ahead, but our advancements in reducing water usage by 80% since our data centres' first generation are steps in the right direction.

What next for the growing data centre industry?

The shift from evaporative to advanced mechanical cooling systems also impacts the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), another crucial efficiency metric for data centres.

The new cooling technology permits higher operating temperatures, which facilitates the use of more efficient chillers and thus could slightly increase energy utilisation.

Microsoft's zero-water technology is set to begin piloting at new construction sites in Arizona and Wisconsin by 2026 with the aim to further enhance and refine these technologies for broader application.

The transition to innovative data centre designs is anticipated to push Microsoft's WUE close to zero for plants utilising the new technology. As more facilities get equipped, the cumulative effect will be a notable improvement in the global WUE figures.

Amid an evolving landscape of ecological challenges, Microsoft's preparedness to invest in and shift towards sustainable operations reflects their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

This strategic pivot not only aims to optimise their operational efficiency but also significantly alleviate their ecological footprint, thereby setting a benchmark in the industry.

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