Siemens: Confronting Scope 3 for Sustainability Success

Whilst many organisations are actively working to reduce their direct emissions, the complex challenge of tackling Scope 3 emissions - those occurring across a company's value chain - remains a significant hurdle in achieving meaningful decarbonisation targets. 

A recent study conducted by Siemens Smart Infrastructure, highlights how data visibility and management are proving to be major obstacles in the journey towards net zero. 

Within the data centre sector, operators are facing increasing levels of pressure to reduce their environmental impact, whilst managing unfathomable growth in demand. Siemens’ findings highlight that decarbonisation efforts across the sector are complicated by the need to coordinate with multiple suppliers, managing complex equipment cycles and addressing the total environmental impact of their supply chains.

The research highlights the importance of comprehensive data collection and analysis in achieving sustainability goals. 

Critical emissions data gaps

With data centres being significant energy consumers and key enablers of digital transformation, their role in both contributing to and potentially reducing global emissions makes them a crucial focus for sustainability initiatives.

Siemens reveals a striking gap in organisations' data capabilities in its report, with 44% of respondents lacking emissions data and 46% report insufficient access to plant and machinery performance data. 

This poses particular challenges for data centre operators attempting to measure and reduce their environmental impact, as detailed visibility across the supply chain is essential for effective carbon reduction strategies.

“Digitalisation is a powerful enabler of sustainability, and decarbonising our buildings, grids and infrastructure is within reach with solutions that exist today. For example, with IoT driving down the cost of smart building technologies, we can connect systems, reduce energy use, and unlock massive savings,” explains Thomas Kiessling, CTO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure, emphasising the role of digital solutions to address sustainability challenges.

The data centre industry currently holds a unique position at the intersection of digital transformation and sustainability. This makes it well-suited to leverage a range of emerging technologies to confront rising energy consumption, with the Siemens report highlighting that AI is expected to have the most significant impact on decarbonisation efforts. 

In fact, the report notes that 33% of survey respondents have identified AI as the most promising technology for emissions reduction over the next three years. Powerful disruptive digital platforms can offer benefits such as improved scalability, time and cost efficiencies, in addition to greater reliability for data centre operations. 

Accelerating the energy transition

However, Siemens notes that, despite 54% of organisations claiming mature or advanced data-driven operations, many are currently struggling to effectively integrate and analyse data from various sources. 

This challenge is clearly amplified in the data centre sector, with Siemens noting that operators must manage complex supply chains and multiple stakeholder relationships. On this, the company suggests that the adopting digital platforms and integration tools such as IoT devices, smart grids and edge technologies will stand to enable more precise monitoring and control of overall energy consumption.

Smart infrastructure and connected systems are emerging as critical in the data centre industry’s journey toward more sustainable operations. Without access to comprehensive accurate data, organisations could face significant challenges in measuring and reducing their environmental impact. 

This is particularly relevant for data centre operators, who must manage complex networks of suppliers, equipment, and energy sources.

Digital platforms and AI-driven solutions could prove essential in helping organisations understand and optimise their resource usage, with Thomas indicating that much more progress in this area can be made.

“To accelerate decarbonisation and meet critical climate targets, we must harness digital technologies like AI and IoT in a more transformative way,” Thomas adds. “The solutions exist, the savings are clear – there is no reason not to act now.”

Explore the latest edition of Data Centre Magazine  and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE and Data Centre LIVE. 

Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today. 

Data Centre Magazine is a BizClik brand