International Data Centre Day: What’s Next for the Industry?
International Data Center Day is designed to create greater awareness of the data centre industry worldwide.
Sponsored by some of the leading players within the industry, its purpose is to inspire the next generation of talent to support continued growth. As data centres have entered further into public consciousness within the last year, the day itself acts as an encouragement for business leaders to get involved by hosting events, providing educational resources and sponsorships.
- The global data centre market is projected to grow at a 15% CAGR through to 2027, with the EMEA region expected to outpace global growth at a 25% CAGR over the next three years
The US still dominates the global market, yet other countries around the world are eager to play a critical role in shaping the digital future and have sped up their infrastructure investments and planning that will lead to supporting emerging technologies.
How the data centre industry is evolving
A significant part of that conversation is AI. Having become quite a buzzword across the wider technology industry, it is becoming a challenge for data centres - given its hunger for power, energy and water.
“The AI arms race is driven by a growing need for GPUs and new data centres to house them,” says Jim Oulton, Co-Head of Cloud & DevOps at Synechron. “GPUs can process many pieces of data simultaneously, making them vital for machine learning. They also consume large amounts of energy.
“As a result, AI will drive a 160% increase in data centre power demand by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs. Data centres now consume 1% to 2% of overall power – which will rise to 3% to 4% by the end of the decade.
“For Europe, this could require a major upgrade to the power grid to ensure it can cater to the energy demand.”
The hype around AI technology is ultimately driving major hyperscale technology companies to invest quickly. As Jim explains, capital investments in AI are soon projected to reach US$234bn.
“In the US, data centres are increasingly collocated next to power stations. Amazon has acquired an atomic data centre for US$650m, providing access to large amounts of energy,” he says. “Some US states offer incentives for hyperscalers to build near carbon-heavy power stations.
“While hyperscalers lead in data centre efficiency, the significant increase in power consumption presents challenges to external sustainability targets and green credentials.”
Our role as a publication
At Data Centre Magazine, we recognise our responsibility in championing the next chapter for the industry – spotlighting the companies that promote sustainability, inclusivity and new pathways to innovation.
We recently published our inaugural Top 100 Women in Data Centres list that showcases women that are committed to making the industry a more inclusive and powerful place.
Kalay Moodley, Chief People Officer at Kao Data - and one of the women featured on our list - shared on LinkedIn today: “On this International Data Centre Day, we celebrate the trailblazers—the innovators, engineers, and visionaries—whose hard work has laid the foundation for the digital world we live in today.
“Their dedication has helped build the networks, systems, and technologies that power our interconnected lives.
Data Centre LIVE, our flagship event, took place yesterday and was a great success. Bringing together leading executives from around the world, everyone shared their thoughts and insights about where the industry is moving to next..
Leaders discussed ways to support AI infrastructure, how to make data centres more sustainable and how operators have a responsibility to keep these mission-critical sites safe.
To watch the sessions on demand, please click HERE.
Essential diary dates for 2025
Discover more essential diary dates for Data Centre Magazine, as well as its sister publications – Mobile Magazine, AI Magazine and Technology Magazine.
- Tech & AI LIVE London + Cyber LIVE London | 14-15 May
- The Global Tech & AI Awards | 14 May
- Tech & AI LIVE Dubai | 4 June
- Tech & AI LIVE Singapore | 4 November
- Tech & AI LIVE New York | 18 November
Explore the latest edition of Data Centre Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE.
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