Turning data centres green

It’s time to modernise Europe’s data centres – before they drain power and progress, argues Charles Giancarlo at Pure Storage

 

Europe’s 448 million residents rarely consider the vast network of data centres supporting their digital lives, storing everything from emails, photos and videos to business transactions. This infrastructure is crucial to the digital economy, yet its growing energy consumption profoundly impacts households and the broader economy.

 

European data centres use roughly 96 terawatt-hours annually – similar to the electricity used by the populations of the Netherlands, Poland, Ireland and Romania. By 2030, data centre energy use is expected to triple, equivalent to the needs of 193 million residents or 43 percent of the EU.

 

Modern society needs data centres, but not inefficient ones. They are foundational to the internet, artificial intelligence and a Europe fit for the digital age. These facilities house three core technologies running 24/7: servers to process data, data storage systems to hold the data, and high-speed networks to move it.

 

Additionally, cooling systems essential for heat management and fire prevention can consume up to half as much energy as the IT equipment.

 

As data centre demand grows, Europe is working to reduce energy use. The European Commission has set an appropriately ambitious goal for data centres to reach high efficiency by 2030. Fortunately, Europe does not have to choose between having world-class digital infrastructure and sustainability, if it makes the right decisions to make them significantly more energy efficient.

 

However, achieving this goal requires addressing an inconvenient truth: more than 80% of data storage relies on a 70-year-old technology – antiquated and massively inefficient magnetic hard disk drives. These mechanical spinning disks are comparable to cathode ray televisions or incandescent bulbs, which Europe phased out decades ago for their wastefulness.

 

The perfect alternative is flash storage, the technology in smartphones and laptops. Flash is widely available, more performant, more reliable and longer lasting than mechanical disks.

 

More importantly, flash based data storage systems use about 90% less power and require 94% less space in data centres. Transitioning from disk to flash will yield substantial energy savings by 20% or more. By 2030, that energy saving could support the entire population of Poland.

 

So, why hasn’t this transition occurred? The problem lies in IT inertia and outdated incentives. Disk drives are cheap to buy, yet expensive to run (think inexpensive printers, with expensive ink.) The real costs are hidden: higher electricity use, strain on the power grid, increased CO2 emissions, and more electronic waste. Data centre operators do not have to account for these external costs in most regions.

 

However, Europe is making strides: an EU draft plan proposes labeling data centre technologies based on energy and water use.

 

Transparency is beneficial, yet stronger standards are essential. The EU has a history of setting efficiency standards that inspire global change. In the late 2000s, the EU phased out inefficient light bulbs despite their low cost, sparking innovation in LED lighting and saving consumers energy. In the automotive sector, emissions standards pushed carmakers to develop cleaner engines.

 

Now, Europe can lead in the digital sector by introducing a “terabytes per watts” performance standard for data storage systems. This benchmark would establish a minimum efficiency level and accelerate the transition to more efficient and sustainable storage technologies.

 

The benefits of such a policy are clear. 

• Significant reduction in energy consumption and emissions: Implementing existing technology could decrease total data centre energy use by approximately 20%.
• Enhanced energy security: Lower energy consumption improves Europe’s energy security. Every megawatt saved helps maintain factory operations and keep homes warm during winter, offering protection against external energy supply disruptions.
• Stimulation of innovation in Europe’s tech sector: Efficiency standards would drive data centre operators and manufacturers to meet new benchmarks, potentially leading to advancements in energy-efficient cooling systems, energy-aware software, and high-density storage solutions. In Silicon Valley, well-designed standards have driven innovation and competition, ultimately benefiting consumers. Early adopters of all-flash storage are already experiencing lower operating costs and more reliable systems. 

Critics may argue that advanced standards could hinder Europe’s digital growth or increase costs. In this case, failing to act will bring greater risks. Without robust data storage efficiency standards, we risk facing situations like the one in London, where new housing construction had to be paused because local grid capacity was overwhelmed by data centres. By leading on this issue, Europe can set a global standard.

 

With energy a key geopolitical issue, the EU can strengthen its digital infrastructure while cutting energy use. The European Parliament and Commission should set binding efficiency standards and offer upgrade incentives. By decade’s end, data centres should be models of efficiency, not obstacles to energy or housing goals.

 

Seventy years ago, hard disk drives helped launch the computer age. Today, they are outdated. Europe can lead the way into a new era of ultra-efficient data storage, where every watt of energy delivers more digital output. The benefits will be widespread – from families in Madrid paying lower electric bills to entrepreneurs in Helsinki scaling their businesses sustainably, and the planet experiencing a lighter load from our progress.

 

Europe has the capability and innovative spirit to make this future a reality. Let’s act now. 

 

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Charles Giancarlo is CEO of Pure Storage

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and imaginima