A view of the Chindata's energy data industrial base in Datong city, Shanxi province. (PHOTO: Chindata Group)

By CHEN Chunyou

Data centers, powered by enormous amounts of electricity, have never been so vital. They are becoming the key infrastructure supporting development of digital transformation and being an important foundation of the digital economy.

A large data center can use as much electricity as a town. The stark reality of how much power is needed to drive these centers comes into clear focus after seeing data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which shows that China had more than 450 large and ultra-large data centers in use by the end of 2021.

Not only are they a drain on power supply, but the centers have also become major carbon emission sources. The data centers clearly need to be more energy efficient in IT systems, refrigerating systems, lighting, and electric equipment, along with having a minimal impact on the environment.

Fortunately, the power usage effectiveness (PUE) of data centers continues to improve in China. The average PUE of national green data centers in 2021 dropped to 1.3. Among them, the annual PUE of Chindata's energy data industrial base, called Taihang Mountain Energy and Information Technology Industrial Campus of the Pan-Beijing Area, located in Datong city, north China's Shanxi province, was lower than 1.2.

The base has an IT volume of 50 megawatts, and is one of the largest intelligent computing data center clusters with the highest power density in China. It developed a series of energy-saving technologies and uses green measures to manage equipment in the data center operation process. It won the title of National Green Data Center in 2020.

Now, the base realizes a 100 percent green power application by adopting a direct power supply mode, which is implemented by three parties, including local power distribution enterprises, energy storage power stations and Chindata Group.

Another example is GDS, whose four data centers, located in Langfang, Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai, were rated as 2021 National Green Data Centers.One case in point is the Beijing No. 6 data center (BJ6), which enhances its advanced energy efficiency management system by maximizing the use of natural cooling throughout the year and implanting AI controlled technologies into the building automation system. In addition, it actively participated in green energy purchases. From December 2020 to November 2021, BJ6 achieved a PUE of 1.25 with a full-year carbon emission reduction of over 2,200 tons.

To accelerate the construction of green data centers and lead them to take an efficient, low-carbon, intensive, and circular green development path, MIIT, coupled with five other departments, released a notice in November to choose new state-level green data centers.

Of particular note is that the green data center evaluation index system has been greatly adjusted, now providing a specific path for the green development of the data center sector in the future.

While further improving the evaluation benchmark of PUE, data centers will also be guided to improve the utilization level of renewable energy. Meanwhile, future construction of centers is encouraged in areas with abundant wind resources and suitable climate, according to the notice.