Impact of Data Centers on Power Consumption, Climate Change, and Sustainability
Dhanabalan Thangam, Haritha Muniraju, R. Ramesh, Ramakrishna Narasimhaiah, Muddasir Ahamed Khan, Shabista Booshan, Bharath Booshan, Thirupathi Manickam, R. Sankar Ganesh
Abstract
The data-driven economy is transforming with data centers becoming a crucial business infrastructure. However, the increasing reliance on data centers is posing a threat to the environment. Climate change activists are focusing on reducing emissions from sectors like automotive, aviation, and energy. Data centers consume more electricity than the UK, accounting for 3% of global electricity supply and 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions. By 2040, digital data storage is projected to contribute to 14% of the world's emissions. The number of data centers worldwide has surged from 500,000 in 2012 to over 8 million, with energy consumption doubling every four years. The rise in internet penetration rates and the introduction of 5G technologies and IoT devices will further exacerbate the issue, increasing the demand for data processing.