Seagate Technology Holdings plc has unveiled its latest report, the Decarbonizing Data report, which highlights the pressing sustainability challenges that data centers face in response to increasing demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This global report is based on a commissioned survey that reveals significant insights into energy consumption and sustainability in the industry.
Energy Consumption Trends and Concerns
A report from Goldman Sachs Research predicts that global power demand from data centers could surge by 165% by 2030 compared to 2023 levels. Seagate’s findings indicate that 53.5% of business leaders currently express heightened concern about energy usage. The growing volumes of data, coupled with a slowdown in efficiency improvements and the rise of AI applications, are compelling organizations to tackle carbon emissions, expand infrastructure, and manage total cost of ownership (TCO) simultaneously.
Key Findings from the Report
- Storage Demand Increase: A substantial 94.5% of survey participants reported rising storage needs, with a staggering 97% anticipating that AI will further escalate this demand.
- Environmental Concerns vs. Purchasing Decisions: Almost 95% of respondents are worried about the environmental impact, yet merely 3.3% prioritize sustainability in their purchasing choices.
- Challenges to Sustainability: Significant barriers include high energy consumption (53.5%), raw material requirements (49.5%), limited physical space (45.5%), infrastructure costs (28.5%), and acquisition expenses (27%).
- Life Cycle Management Discrepancies: While 92.2% recognize the importance of extending storage equipment life cycles, only 15.5% regard it as a critical factor in purchasing decisions.
Strategic Pillars for Sustainable Data Centers
To navigate the sustainability challenges in the data sector, the Decarbonizing Data report proposes three strategic pillars:
- Technological Innovation: Advances such as liquid cooling and energy-efficient technologies are essential to reduce energy use. For instance, Seagate’s HAMR-based Mozaic 3+ platform can enhance capacity while decreasing carbon emissions and costs significantly.
- Commitment to Life Cycle Extension and Circularity: Emphasizing refurbishing and maintaining storage equipment is crucial for waste reduction and prolonging the lifespan of resources.
- Shared Accountability: Achieving substantial emissions reductions requires collaboration among all stakeholders in the data ecosystem, from suppliers to cloud service providers.
Impact of Sustainability on Business Operations
Organizations integrating energy consumption, space use, raw material management, and infrastructure costs into their operational strategies are positioned to succeed. As businesses expand their data capabilities, they must consider various options such as enhancing existing infrastructure, broadening data center footprints, or migrating to cloud solutions, all of which involve balancing costs, carbon emissions, and control over operations.
Jason Feist, Senior Vice President of Cloud Marketing at Seagate, emphasizes the importance of rethinking data infrastructure. He advocates for a view that combines cost efficiency and sustainability, rather than treating them as opposing factors. “Sustainability cannot be solved in isolation,” he states, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach across the industry.
For further details, the full Decarbonizing Data report is available for deeper insights.