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Data4 aims to reduce the carbon footprint per megawatt of capacity of its data centers by an ambitious 38% between 2021 and 2030, and has already measured a 13% reduction over the past six years. To achieve this long-term goal, the company needs full transparency regarding the carbon embedded in the lifecycle of its systems and equipment.

“Rehlko is at the forefront of sustainability, having published the first certified environmental declaration for a generator set in mission-critical markets,” says Linda Lescuyer, Group Innovation Leader at Data4. “The PEP ecopassport® provides a detailed product lifecycle assessment of the KD Series generators. This kind of openness and transparency from suppliers helps us understand the overall environmental impact of our activities and will help us achieve our sustainability goals.”

Using the lifecycle assessment methodology, Rehlko collected information on energy consumption, emissions, resource use, and other relevant parameters for the KD Series generators. The environmental declaration was then verified by independent third parties to ensure its accuracy and compliance with ISO 14025:2006, a Type III environmental declaration.

“We are committed to providing customers like Data4 with complete visibility into the environmental impact of generators,” says Charles Hunsucker, President of Power Systems at Rehlko. “The issuance of the PEP ecopassport® was the culmination of several years of data collection, providing Data4 and the broader market with the information they need.”

Data4 aims to foster greater awareness and reduction of the environmental impact of products among its suppliers. As part of its procurement process, Data4 will require an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for all major equipment, including generators, in future projects. Manufacturers that comply will be given preference during the procurement evaluation phase. “Analyzing the life cycle of data centers, from development and installation to decommissioning, helps determine how the industry can minimize its environmental impact,” adds Linda Lescuyer.

“It’s crucial to involve the entire supplier value chain, which will allow us to gather more accurate information about the impact of the equipment and materials used in data center construction and encourage them to find eco-designed solutions. We want to partner with forward-thinking suppliers like Rehlko, who are willing to collaborate to deliver sustainable innovation,” he adds.

Rehlko plans to leverage the results of its environmental declaration to pioneer a reduction in the carbon footprint of mission-critical generators. The life cycle analysis of the PEP ecopassport® demonstrated that its internal combustion engine emergency generators contain over 94% recyclable metals, without the use of rare earth elements such as lithium, nickel, manganese, or cobalt in the batteries. Future efforts in material selection and generator design could further increase this figure.

"Rehlko is dedicated to working with our customers, supporting them on their journey to net-zero emissions," concludes Charles Hunsucker.