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Microsoft solves major energy issue with new design for data centers: 'We are committed to making a positive impact'

The energy consumption of data centers has long been a cause of concern.

The energy consumption of data centers has long been a cause of concern.

Photo Credit: iStock

Cloud computing has been the norm among individuals and companies for storing endless data, from photos to documents. While you no longer have to carry around loads of floppy disks, that cloud data must sit somewhere — in this case, data centers. As Electropages reported, Microsoft is working to fix the amount of resources these facilities use by creating a next-generation center focusing on chip-level cooling instead of water.

By 2020, as many as 2.3 billion people were using personal cloud storage like Google Drive and iCloud, per AAG IT Services. These facilities use massive amounts of mostly non-renewable energy, such as air conditioning, water, and dirty fuels, to keep things cool.

The energy consumption of data centers has long been a cause of concern, leading some other tech innovators to develop sustainable upgrades in this industry. One such example is the Zurich-based company Apheros, which uses metal foams for optimized fluid flow in cooling, as Electropages reported.

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Non-renewable energy usage from dirty fuels and ACs produces pollution that causes an increasingly warm planet to get hotter. Discharged heated water placed back into waterways can alter temperature cues for spawning fish, help exotic species grow, and affect how native organisms process nutrients, according to Freshwater Ecology by Walter K. Dodds and Matt R. Whiles, referenced in Science Direct's Thermal Pollution study.

Then, there's evaporative cooling, which results in non-replaceable water loss and may cause local waterways to dry up. Water evaporation is part of the ongoing water crisis, as over 50% of global rivers fell below normal levels in 2023, according to the Daily Climate. This loss affects all lifeforms, from humans to bees, which pollinate the plants in the food chain.

Microsoft's zero-water cooling initiative already has a head start since the company has achieved an 80% reduction in water use compared to its first generation of data centers, per Electropages. 

Steve Solomon, vice president of Datacenter Infrastructure Engineering at Microsoft, said, per Electropages, "Protecting local watersheds is an important part of our data community pledge, and we are committed to making a positive impact on the communities in which we operate." 

You can also do your part to support environmental conservation. Start by not wasting water, converting to more green methods for heating and cooling, like heat pumps, and supporting other eco-friendly initiatives by your favorite brands.

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