How AI Can Make Data Centers More Efficient and Decarbonize

InformationWeek examines how AI can address data center sustainability challenges, featuring insights from DataBank VP of Engineering Eric Swartz and Hitachi Vantara’s Ian Clatworthy. The article explores AI solutions for reducing the 1% of global power consumption attributed to data centers, with up to 40% of electricity dedicated to cooling costs.

AI enables predictive maintenance, optimal traffic distribution, and dynamic power management by analyzing equipment performance, environmental conditions, and energy usage patterns. Digital twinning allows data centers to simulate different configurations and optimize cooling systems based on location-specific factors without disrupting operations.

“Even 1% of power usage can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy. To dial it into the most efficient operating parameter would be very beneficial.”
— Eric Swartz, VP of Engineering, DataBank

Key challenges include data scarcity for historical equipment performance and privacy constraints in multi-tenant environments. While AI requires significant upfront investment, the technology shows promise for substantial long-term cost savings and carbon reduction through intelligent resource allocation and renewable energy optimization.

Explore the complete sustainability analysis at InformationWeek.