Cloud computing emissions account for about 2.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than commercial airlines generate. A single data center can pull the same energy that is required to maintain 50,000 homes. As data demands continue to increase, data center power needs are projected to climb 160 percent by 2030, and carbon dioxide emissions will likely double, according to Goldman Sachs research.
Each data center is its own beast with a unique configuration and power needs. Some businesses can integrate renewable energy solutions or use advanced power management systems to improve operations and lower costs. Hitachi Vantara works with managed service providers and end-customers to identify and deploy data storage solutions that transform the data center, so organizations can save money and meet sustainability targets.
Smaller Footprint, Greater Savings
Hitachi collaborated with the BMW Group to redesign BMW’s storage services and upgrade legacy systems. The project covered 12 locations in eight countries spanning four continents. The car manufacturer replaced 1,700 physical servers with Hitachi’s Virtual Storage Platform (VSP) and deployed intelligent data management and power management tools to analyze usage patterns and identify when and where to reduce power.
The new VSP solution significantly lowered storage costs. It cut the server footprint by a whopping 70 percent and slashed power consumption by 80 percent, making it more environmentally friendly.
The Future of Data Center Sustainability: Beyond AI
AI-based insights are critical to optimize data and energy usage. Sensors enable systems to make dynamic adjustments for all kinds of efficiencies, including workload, temperature, and power. Hitachi’s AI Discovery Service uses AI to assess data patterns and usage and develop models to enhance performance and boost energy efficiency.
Moving forward, however, new approaches are needed to address the IT load and to find renewable energy sources to support ever-growing digital demands. Hitachi Energy, a separate arm of the Hitachi Group, is developing innovative energy solutions to mitigate rising carbon footprints.
Hitachi Energy worked with Fortum, a Finnish energy supplier, to establish a heat recovery project in the Helsinki area. Using Hitachi’s advance grid connection solutions, Fortum funnels excess data center heat to homes and buildings, providing emission-free heating in the region. The recycled heat supplies 40 percent of the heating consumed by 250,000 users.
The growth of data centers is unavoidable, but so is the need for carbon-neutrality. Hitachi’s innovative solutions are designed to meet increasing data demands, performance requirements, and sustainability goals, while lowering costs.
Learn more about Hitachi’s AI Discovery Service.