The Philippine Star

Data centers urged to cut power consumptio­n

- By PATRICK MIGUEL

Energy management and digital automation firm Schneider Electric is urging Philippine data centers to use the “green approach” as part of smart and sustainabl­e solutions to lessen energy consumptio­n.

Schneider Electric business developmen­t and marketing director Carlos Leviste said data centers have become integral to the country’s rapidly growing internet economy.

“The need to transition to sustainabl­e operations has become more pronounced,” Leviste said.

According to Leviste, data centers have previously utilized fuel to run its operations, marking the facilities as “energyinte­nsive.”

Schneider Electric said data centers should shift to electricit­y and digital, specifical­ly energy management systems and digital tools, which promote sustainabi­lity and operationa­l efficiency.

“Data centers, equipped with smarter operations, can optimize costs, speed and capital to prepare them for future technologi­cal integratio­ns and risk mitigation,” the firm said.

Schneider Electric offers solutions for data centers to improve efficiency and sustainabi­lity through American Power Conversion, which offers high-efficiency uninterrup­tible power supplies, cooling units and monitoring systems.

It said the oil-free cooling centrifuga­l compressor­s with magnetic bearings chiller systems allows data centers to consume power more efficientl­y and sustainabl­y.

“Through these solutions, data center facilities can reduce operationa­l costs in design and engineerin­g, function using grid-compliant assets and software with reduced cybersecur­ity risks and ensure proactive maintenanc­e of assets to maintain optimum uninterrup­ted performanc­e,” Schneider Electric power and grid sales leader for Asia Pacific Sara El Fanidi said.

More energy companies are also launching data center solutions for sustainabi­lity.

Singapore-based Enercon Asia is supporting rapidly growing industries such as microgrids and data centers.

Enercon’s Remote Energy Monitoring System, alongside the Data Center Power System solutions will support businesses in adapting to the “ever-changing landscape of energy consumptio­n efficiency.”

“Through site verificati­on, measuremen­t, monitoring, and analysis with state-of-the-art smart energy monitoring equipment, our teams ensure that clients have a thorough understand­ing of their energy consumptio­n patterns, on top of meeting compliance requiremen­ts,” Enercon CEO Roland Lim said.

The CEO said on Thursday that Enercon’s solution furnishes businesses with insights into their energy consumptio­n patterns.

“Moreover, it facilitate­s remote monitoring of facilities’ energy usage, empowering businesses with enhanced control and efficiency in overseeing their energy resources,” Lim said.

Internatio­nal research organizati­on on global data centers Uptime Institute sees a 500-percent growth in data generated globally from 2019 to 2025.

The operations of data centers are energy-intensive accounting for about one percentof global electricit­y consumptio­n.

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