And more than 870,000 m2 of existing data center space will be renovated during the same period. The new data centers will demand more than 2,450 MW of electricity per year. This will require either four thermal power plants, each producing 600 MW annually, or three new nuclear power plants, each producing 860 MW, to meet the resulting energy demand.
An objective assessment:
Operational data centers are currently responsible for 2% of global carbon emissions. While this figure may not seem particularly high at first glance, comparing it to global commercial air traffic, which also emits 2% of global carbon, puts the situation into perspective. While aviation carbon emissions are often at the top, at least for now, data centers appear to be pulling ahead, taking the lead.
With the increasing number of data centers, their combined energy consumption will also rise. This situation is further exacerbated by the design of compact servers and switches, which allow for higher equipment density and, therefore, greater energy consumption per square meter. Currently, IT equipment accounts for 50% of a data center's total energy consumption. Cooling represents 25%, airflow approximately 12%, and transformers and UPS units 10%.
When data center owners consider energy efficiency alternatives, they too often focus solely on active equipment and believe that new technologies in air conditioning systems, UPS units, and blade servers will provide a sufficient solution. And, certainly, the contribution of advanced active equipment to energy savings is fundamental—but not enough. Most owners still overlook structured cabling, the backbone, and the data center's core system, which have a significant impact on energy savings.
The Need for Future-Oriented Planning:
Data centers being built now will continue operating for at least ten to fifteen years. Therefore, looking ahead, the energy efficiency measures implemented today will have a tremendous impact in the medium term. This is why fiber optics must be used correctly from the design phase onward.
If we compare the energy consumption of a 10 Gigabit Ethernet copper cable connection with a fiber optic cable connection, we find a difference of 24 W of energy consumption per port, disadvantageing the copper alternative.
Furthermore, the savings from the elimination of the need for cooling must also be considered. Calculated based on the principle of energy conservation, this represents an additional 10 W per port.
This means that fiber optic cabling offers a potential savings of 34 W per 10 Gigabit link.
Energy-saving infrastructure.
This may not seem like much at first. There are still thousands of links in an average-sized data center. 4100 kW per hour represents the potential energy savings of exactly 14 fiber optic links – compared to the same number of copper ports. This is also the average annual energy consumption of a family home with four people.
Resource Efficiency of Fiber Optics:
Beyond energy savings, fiber optic manufacturing processes have a lower environmental impact than copper cabling. It takes approximately 500 kilograms of resources (excavated earth, water, etc.) to extract 1 kilogram of copper. To obtain the same amount of glass, the base material of fiber optics, the cost is only 3 kilograms of natural resources.
The question remains: how much copper or glass does a cable contain?
Twenty-four 10-Gigabit copper links, with an average link length of 41.5 meters, require 33 kilograms of copper. The same number of connections can be created using a 48-fiber optical cable, which needs exactly… 56 grams of glass. When we compare the total volumes of copper and fiber optics, the resulting environmental impact is 16.5 tons versus 168 grams, in favor of the fiber optic cable.
The environmental impact analysis must extend to examining the raw materials needed to produce cable coatings and internal structural elements. These materials are typically made of plastic, a petroleum derivative. Continuing with the previous example, the results again argue against the use of copper. The production of copper cabling requires 38 kilograms of raw materials, while this amount drops to 5.4 kilograms for fiber optic cabling.
Less cable also means less space and weight, allowing for less cabling and routing space. This increases cable density, resulting in reduced cable weight, energy savings, space conserves, and natural resources. It also ensures lower energy consumption for data center cooling.
An Overview:
Green information technology can only be credible and effective if it follows a holistic approach, incorporating as many ecological and economic factors as possible. Beyond energy efficiency, capital, and operating costs, aspects such as material use, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship must also be considered. Ultimately, green solutions can be measured in terms of how much they contribute to reducing carbon emissions, minimizing environmental impact, and slowing global warming, not only today but also in the years to come—and how this will affect the foundations of organizations.
We cannot forget that the lifespan of all these components has a direct influence on a data center's energy balance. In the ever-changing world of information technology, this is determined by how well current technologies and infrastructures are prepared for next-generation systems. While active components are designed for an operational life of three to five years, passive infrastructure, primarily cabling systems, is designed for more than fifteen years.
If we look back fifteen years, we will surely find transmission speeds of 40 and 100 Gigabits in almost every data center. These high transmission rates, along with optimized fiber optic solutions based on OM3 fiber, form the basis for the next generation of data centers. When planning new systems, the emphasis should be on bandwidth reserve, high-density packaging, and system performance. And this is where structured cabling has a crucial role to play.
