Direct Air Capture – A Solution to Data Centre Emissions
Direct Air Capture (DAC) could be the answer to the enormous headache of CO₂ emissions from data centres.
Data Centres Consume Astronomical Amounts of Energy
Data centres power everything from streaming platforms to cloud storage, making them a backbone of our modern life. However, their operations are energy-intensive, with vast electricity requirements to run servers and cool equipment.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centres consumed 460TWh world-wide in 2022 and this is set to rise to over 1000TWh by 2026, contributing to substantial CO₂ emissions.
In Ireland, the percentage of total metered electricity consumption used by data centres rose from 5% in 2015 to 21% in 2023. [Central Statistics Office, Ireland]
Globally, the use of renewable energy by data centres has grown, with companies investing heavily in solar, wind, and hydropower. Yet, the demand for energy continues to rise as digital services expand. This growth puts pressure on renewable energy supplies, leaving DAC projects competing for these clean resources.
How Direct Air Capture and Data Centres can Work Together
The Scramble for Renewable Energy
There is a clash over who gets the biggest piece of the renewable energy pie. Both data centres and DAC projects rely on sustainable energy sources to reduce their environmental impact, but renewable capacity remains limited. This situation highlights the need for innovative approaches to balance energy distribution.
Waste Heat from Data Centres Presents an Opportunity
One solution is integrating DAC systems into data centre sites.
Direct Air Capture (How Does Direct Air Capture Work?) involves extracting CO₂ directly from the atmosphere, which is then stored or repurposed for industrial applications.
To function effectively, DAC systems require a relatively large amount energy (although advances in technology is bringing this usage down), which must be sourced from renewables or waste heat. On the other hand, data centres are considerable generators of heat. By using waste heat from data centres to power DAC technology, the two industries could coexist more sustainably. This collaboration would maximise energy efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions simultaneously. In the end, this symbiotic relationship would lower the environmental footprint of both industries.
The Bigger Picture
In an interview on RTE Radio’s ‘Today with Claire Byrne’, Claire discussed the issue of the enormous energy consumption of data centres and the impact on the electricity grid.
Guest on the show, Alan O’Reilly of Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd, said:
“The full decarbonisation of electricity is the ultimate goal, but that is a long way off. In the meantime, we need to look at how we can offset the effects of power generation and waste heat on the environment in terms of the emissions created. We need to look at solutions.”
The growing demand for data centres reflects our reliance on digital services, and this dependence is unlikely to wane. Collaboration between industries, supported by robust policy frameworks, can pave the way for a more sustainable future. By balancing the needs of data centres and DAC projects, we can create a model where technology and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
Have a listen to the interview here
For more:
- What is Direct Air Capture?
- Why Removing CO2 from the Atmosphere is Urgent
- How Does CO₂ Cause Climate Change?