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| ISSUE 02: Data Centers: Powering the Future |
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It’s no secret that the demand for cloud computing and AI continues to surge as data centers are rapidly expanding across the globe. In fact, the global data center market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% from 2022 to 2030, with the growth even further fueled by increasing digital transformation, IoT devices, and 5G networks. These facilities are critical to the modern digital economy, but they also come with significant energy demands. In this edition, we’ll explore how data centers can benefit from electrical submetering and how the DENTCloud and API can help optimize energy use.
Thank you for joining us on this journey to power the future. |
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| The growth of cloud services and the expansion of AI and machine learning models have led to an explosion of data. |
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| Global data center IP traffic is expected to reach 20.6 zettabytes by 2026, compared to just 6.8 zettabytes in 2016.
This surge in data is driving the rapid growth and modernization of data centers worldwide. |
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The Rising Energy Demands of AI |
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing industries by enabling automation, advanced analytics, and decision-making on a massive scale. However, the rapid adoption of AI has significantly increased data centers’ energy demands. Training large AI models requires immense computational resources, particularly high-performance servers and GPUs, which consume vast amounts of electricity. AI Energy Loads : The energy needed to train AI models is staggering. Recent studies show that training a single AI model can produce as much carbon as five cars over their entire lifetimes. As AI adoption grows, so do the energy needs of data centers. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, notes that their 5GW (yes, you read that right) data centers will rank among the largest electricity consumers, with power requirements on par with small nuclear plants.
Keeping Cool: AI hardware generates significant heat, making optimized cooling systems essential. HVAC systems, controlled by Building Management Systems (BMS), are critical for ensuring efficient cooling of high-performance machines. Real-time data helps direct cooling where needed, reducing excess consumption and preventing overheating.
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Why Data Centers Need Electrical Submetering |
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Given their massive energy demands, submetering is crucial for optimizing operations and reducing costs in data centers. Key benefits include: Rack Tenant Billing: Submetering provides precise tracking of tenant energy use at the rack or server level, enabling operators to rebill tenants based on actual consumption, ensuring transparency and cost recovery. Load Shedding & Peak Demand Management: Real-time energy data allows operators to manage non-critical loads during peak demand periods, avoiding surcharges and keeping usage within negotiated limits. Power Quality Issue Detection: Meters like the PowerScout HD offer programmable alarms that trigger when voltage sags occur. These alarms can automatically shut down equipment to protect sensitive systems from damage. Power Factor Monitoring: Monitoring power factor through submeters helps identify inefficiencies. A declining power factor can indicate equipment failure, allowing proactive maintenance and reducing the risk of unexpected outages. Green Energy Integration: As data centers increasingly adopt solar power, submeters can track how much power is generated and used from renewable sources, helping operators monitor and report on green energy contributions. Monitoring Critical Loads: Submetering provides continuous monitoring of essential loads, such as servers, helping detect inefficiencies or potential failures early, minimizing downtime. HVAC Optimization: Submetering enables efficient HVAC monitoring, ensuring energy-saving cooling and maintaining the optimal thermal environment for equipment, reducing waste and improving overall system efficiency.
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The DENTCloud (with API) seamlessly integrates submetering hardware with your smart software, eliminating the need for intermediary devices and gateways. Building Management Systems: Integrate with existing BMS systems for HVAC efficiency.
Tenant Billing Software: For data centers with multiple tenants, this enables accurate energy usage tracking
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Find Us at These Upcoming Tradeshows!
Catch DENT Instruments at the following tradeshows this fall: NECA in San Diego, CA, September 29 – October 1 – Look for Reino! Greenbuild in Philadelphia, PA, November 12-15 – We’ll be attending!
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Grant at AEE in Nashville 9/25 pictured above
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| We look forward to seeing you there!
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Have a question? Ask the DENT Sales team!
Dent Instruments has an exceptional customer success and account management team available to handle any questions. |
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Newsletter References Grand View Research. (2022). Data Center Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report. Read here. Cisco. (2022). Global Cloud Index: Forecast and Methodology, 2021–2026. Read here. Fortune. (2024, September 27). OpenAI CEO Sam Altman calls for nuclear power to fuel AI’s growing 5GW data center power requirements. Fortune Article
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Visit us at: dentinstruments.com
Call us: 1-541-388-4774 Hours of operation: Mon – Fri 8am – 5pm PST
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