Advancing Data Centre Sustainability with Google & Danfoss

Google is helping Danish multinational engineering group Danfoss to better leverage generative AI (Gen AI).

The strategic partnership aims to make use of the latest artificial intelligence (AI) advances, in addition to promoting energy efficient solutions in the data centre sector. Danfoss will use Google Cloud’s Gen AI capabilities to optimise customer experiences, streamline internal work processes and improve productivity across the organisation.

This announcement comes in the midst of Google having announced numerous global data centre expansions with the end goal of supporting local communities and supporting AI growth after an explosion in customer demand for new technologies.

Heat Reuse Technology: A new and promising sustainable solution

A dominating figure in the data centre industry, Google only continues to expand its global connectivity efforts. In particular, the company has sought out numerous sites around the world, including in the UK, Europe and the United States, to develop interconnected data centres and support rising customer demand.

Under this partnership Danfoss will be making the most of Google Cloud’s Gen AI capabilities. Improvements with Gen AI can be completed by using it to collect and surface information, automate knowledge and create e-commerce solutions.

Danfoss is also working with Google to implement sustainable cooling systems for data centres, which includes designing systems that reuse excess heat produced by the facilities. 

In particular, Danfoss Turbocor compressors aim to provide reliable solutions and are currently being installed by Google to improve energy efficiencies and decarbonise heating and cooling systems within data centres. Additionally, Danfoss’ heat reuse modules will make it possible for Google to capture and reuse heat produced by data centres, providing a renewable energy source to supply heating on site and to neighbouring commercial and residential buildings, communities and industries that need heat for their processes.

Heat reuse technology is fast emerging as a potentially transformative sustainable solution for data centre companies. As data centres continually look for new ways to be more sustainable in 2024, heat reuse could contribute to organisations being more energy efficient by reducing global energy consumption and streamlining services.

Solutions like this have become increasingly more important, as the demand for data and new technologies is putting pressure on data centre facilities. With more data, comes more heat - and so companies are having to ensure that systems remain cool and do not expand their carbon footprint. 

Jürgen Fischer, President at Danfoss Climate Solutions, says: “At Danfoss, we want to revolutionise how we build and decarbonise data centres together with our customers. When we partner up across industries, like we have done with Google, we accelerate this development towards building better and more sustainable data centres - using technologies available today.”

Making strides towards Net Zero

Google’s partnership with Danfoss also builds on an existing collaboration between the two companies, which were among the founders of the Net Zero Innovation Hub.

The Net Zero Innovation Hub aims to address key areas of opportunity for data centres in the effort to speed up the industry's race towards Net Zero. Both Google and Danfoss are now taking their green transformations a step further via this partnership, all in efforts to grow the digital economy in a responsible way.

Google is already implementing renewable solutions to its data centres, having released a new framework in December 2023 to advance its responsible water use, as part of a commitment to supporting water security in communities where data centres operate.

As J.P. Clausen, Google Vice President of Data Centre Innovation, says: “This is a great example of a partnership utilising each other’s strengths and using technology to optimise the customer experience, increase productivity and reach sustainability goals.

“Danfoss is a leader in energy efficiency, and these solutions help support Google’s 2030 goal of running our data centres on carbon-free energy 24/7. We’re happy to deliver AI innovation through Google Cloud, enabling businesses like Danfoss to operate in new and smarter ways.”

******

Make sure you check out the latest edition of Data Centre Magazine and also sign up to our global conference series - Tech & AI LIVE 2024

******

Data Centre Magazine is a BizClik brand