International. The International Refrigeration Institute (IIR) conducted an analysis highlighting that data center cooling is becoming an increasingly strategic issue.
The IIR explains that today cooling can represent a major economic challenge for data centers. If cooling is done incorrectly or inadequately, the amount of energy needed to cool a data center may be equal to or greater than that used to operate the equipment. Larger data centers can use a staggered amount of power just to ensure the day-to-day operation of electronic equipment. As a result, these data centers can produce a large amount of heat, requiring large-scale cooling systems in order to maintain efficient and continuous operation.
The Institute highlights the emergence of new refrigeration alternatives. He says traditional approaches that focused on implementing "maximum cooling" techniques were progressively sidelined by more sophisticated methods focused on removing or recovering heat or exploiting the surrounding natural environment.
More companies are exploring free cooling alternatives in a goal of reducing costs, increasing energy efficiency and implementing sustainable cooling techniques. By trying to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions in line with international targets, natural cooling is becoming a growing trend for data centers around the world.
According to a market study published by Markets and Markets, the global data center cooling market is estimated to grow from US$7.12 billion in 2016 to US$14.28 billion in 2021, at an Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.95%.
With such a positive outlook and indisputable value for many, it is no wonder that the data center cooling market is increasingly becoming a common point of interest for stakeholders in a wide variety of sectors.
