Ecolab: How is Smart Cooling Key to Future AI Data Centres?

The explosion in AI is reshaping the energy and cooling profile of data centres. Advanced chips and workloads are consuming electricity at unprecedented levels, forcing providers to rethink cooling architectures to remain competitive and sustainable.

Forecasts suggest that by 2030, infrastructure powering large language models could require 327GW of electricity. That is around 70% of all electricity used in the US in 2024. 

With each generative AI query consuming around 2.9 watt-hours of electricity – 10 times that of a standard search engine query – the need for efficient data centre cooling has never been greater.

This is something Ecolab addresses directly with its advanced technologies and solutions.

Balancing energy and water use

Power remains the biggest constraint on data centre growth, yet water is just as critical. Depending on location, rising cooling demands can place significant strain on local watersheds. As a result, conserving both resources is essential for operators seeking efficiency and resilience.

“When we think about data centres, one is opening every week, and one semiconductor fab every month as well,” says Christophe Beck, CEO of Ecolabs, speaking to CNBC. “They all require a lot of water. We estimate that by 2030, we will need the incremental power of the whole of India, and the drinking water needs of the whole of the United States.

“The technology we’re bringing enables data centres to power even more AI in the future, and the same applies for microelectronics.

Some facilities have explored waterless cooling. But without detailed analysis, these methods can unintentionally increase the hydro footprint. Energy production itself requires large volumes of water: between 570 and 1,100 litres are needed to generate just one megawatt-hour of electricity using natural gas.

Water also has inherent advantages over air. Liquid-cooled data centres typically use 10–30% less energy than those reliant on air-cooled chillers, thanks to water’s much greater heat-carrying capacity. This makes water-cooled systems both efficient and strategic when carefully deployed.

Christophe affirms the sustainability of Ecolabs’ solutions and technology: “It’s sustainable because the new technologies use little to no water. In the past, data centres were cooled with air conditioning in large rooms. Tomorrow, it’s going to be direct-to-chip cooling. There’s no water involved. It’s just a liquid that flows directly to the chip, with much greater AI power as a result.”

Designing cooling with flexibility

Sustainable cooling begins at site selection. Evaluating climate, power source, water availability and watershed impact all influence the most appropriate solution. Facilities then need versatile designs that support today’s requirements but are adaptable for the future.

This involves combining a range of cooling methods from site level down to the chip. Direct-to-chip cooling, for example, can reduce the load on facility-wide systems such as chillers and towers. By spreading the burden, data centres can cut both power and water usage.

Once operational, infrastructures must be monitored continuously. Digital systems track performance and identify inefficiencies, allowing operators to react to changing conditions. This helps ensure facilities maintain efficiency while avoiding unplanned downtime.

To put usage in context, a mid-sized 100-megawatt data centre with optimised water use can consume less water annually than an 18-hole golf course. But unlike golf courses, consumption patterns in data centres can change hourly based on cooling load, water quality, ambient temperature, humidity and equipment performance. Systems must adapt in real time.

Digital monitoring and operational efficiency

With demand surging, no single developer can analyse every cooling decision from design to maintenance. Partnering with specialist suppliers helps bridge this gap. Providers with end-to-end oversight can leverage performance data to guide choices, anticipate challenges and reduce risk.

Digital monitoring plays a central role, spotting anomalies early and providing operators with the tools to fine-tune system performance. The result is more efficient use of water and power, supporting both environmental goals and cost savings.

“For us, it has always been a question of performance,” explains Christophe. “It’s about helping businesses and industries make more money and invest more in the future. 

“If our solutions help data centres operate with little or no water, that’s good for the tech companies, good for consumers and good for the environment. In fact, most data centres in the future won’t use more water than a single car wash in a local community. It’s a good deal for everyone.”

Building sustainability into strategy

For cooling systems to be sustainable, efficiency must be built into every stage of development. This starts long before construction, with site selection aligned to grid capacity, climate and local community needs.

During facility design, approaches such as adiabatic cooling and direct-to-chip liquid cooling can cut electricity use. Once operational, water reuse and recycling projects further reduce the draw on potable water supplies.

Embedding digital monitoring ensures these strategies are not static. Instead, they evolve alongside workload demands, enabling operators to maintain competitiveness while protecting scarce resources.

Ecolab argues that the most sustainable approach is one that considers power, water and community together. By aligning cooling strategies to local conditions, data centres can maximise efficiency and secure long-term resilience in an era of soaring demand.