Why do you think it is important that data centres become more sustainable ?

Our industry has been working to reduce its energy consumption and lower carbon emissions for many years . One might argue that it is an exemplar to other industries . As large consumers of energy , it has a responsibility to commit towards sustainability and to reducing its environmental impact . New data centres can be designed to be resource efficient , however , it ’ s paramount that we don ’ t forget about inefficient legacy facilities . Here , Initiating modernisation or energy efficiency programs and switching to renewables are two key steps that legacy operators can take to become more sustainable .

How is your technology supporting this transition to more climate-conscious companies ?

I believe that from a technological perspective , achieving sustainability requires a combination of hardware , software , and digital services . However , it requires far more than just the technologies and any business hoping to reduce its environmental impact should carefully consider its strategy .

At Schneider Electric we ’ re developing solutions to help operators meet demands for sustainability and resilience . Our Galaxy VL UPS is the industry ’ s most compact threephase solution , is powered by lithium-ion and offers up to 99 % efficiency .

We ’ re innovating in the design space , using prefabricated technologies to design resourceefficient facilities , and creating edge computing systems that can be deployed sustainably . Further , our vendor-agnostic EcoStruxure™ IT DCIM software helps end-users to not only measure their energy usage but monitor their mission-critical environments from anywhere to increase the reliability of their sites . Our DCIM software delivers smart analytics with predictive capabilities alongside built-in cybersecurity analysis , physical and environmental security monitoring – a complete solution for today ’ s operators .

Finally , we ’ ve created an Energy and Sustainability services bureau , helping customers extend the lifecycle of their infrastructure and reduce their carbon impact . We also have a business that ’ s dedicated to helping customers procure renewable energy .

How do new and emerging technologies support this transition to cleaner data centres ?

Technologies have a key role to play in future data centres , which must be adaptive , resilient , sustainable , and efficient . However , technology is just one aspect , and a more holistic approach to design and operations is needed . At Schneider Electric , we believe the sector can address this through five steps .

First , operators must adopt sustainable practices from the outset , creating global climate strategies that are transparent and measurable . Secondly , they must maximise the use of renewables to decrease their carbon footprint . Thirdly , by establishing resource efficient designs , operators can take a more repeatable approach to deployment and drive efficiency .

Fourthly , reducing CO2 within the supply chain is crucial , and partnering with businesses that are aligned with the same ambitions can play a key role in addressing scope 3 emissions . Finally , the utilization of circular materials that can be recycled is essential to reduce landfill .

What can we expect from Schneider Electric in the future ?

One area we ’ re particularly excited about is the development of new sustainability metrics specifically for data centre operators . For many years PUE has been a great measure of efficiency , however , the landscape is changing , and as our industry works towards net zero , it ’ s essential that sustainability metrics evolve to reflect this ambition .

Our mission is to be our customers ’ partner for efficiency and sustainability , so we ’ ll continue our work to build the sustainable and resilient data centres of the future , and help the industry reduce its carbon impact .

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