With the exponential rise in information middle demand and growing necessities on the horizon, the basic problems with house and sustainability have to be solved earlier than information facilities can successfully meet future wants.

Data Center Information has been monitoring developments in information middle deployments in recent times – from picket information facilities to information facilities on wheels, and even information facilities on the moon. 

Take a look at our highlights of the newest ideas and developments in information middle development and deployment. 

1. Wood Data Centers 

In November 2023, Vertiv launched TimberMod, a picket information middle answer. James Walker explains how this new idea goals to assist organizations scale back their carbon footprint and meet their sustainability objectives. 

Learn extra: Vertiv Launches Sustainable Wood Data Center Answer 

TimberMod modular information facilities are created utilizing sustainably harvested wooden. IMAGE: TimberMod

2. Underwater Data Centers

The deployment of Microsoft’s now-canceled Challenge Natick helped make underwater information facilities extra fashionable. Nonetheless, many challenges include such an strategy. Christopher Tozzi explores whether or not underwater information facilities generally is a sensible answer to house, cooling, and power price issues. 

Learn extra: Are Underwater Data Centers Really Sensible? 

Microsoft’s Challenge Natick information middle was hooked up to a ballast-filled triangular base for deployment 117 ft deep on the seafloor off the Orkney Islands in Scotland in 2018. IMAGE: Jonathan Banks

3. Flying Data Centers 

In 2023, researchers outlined a brand new system of floating IT services that may make the most of the stratosphere for cooling. James Walker explains how these blimp-like services may at some point resolve the business’s sustainability issues. 

Learn extra: Might Flying Data Centers Resolve the Business Sustainability Woes? 

4. Unmanned Data Centers 

Unmanned or “lights out” information facilities are already right here and will change the info middle business over the subsequent decade. Christopher Tozzi explains how they work and why they’re precious. 

Learn extra: What Is an Unmanned Data Center and Ought to You Use One? 

5. Wi-fi Data Centers 

Christopher Tozzi discusses the dream of wi-fi information facilities, whether or not they have sensible makes use of, and the professionals and cons of those services. 

Learn extra: Are Wi-fi Data Centers Sensible?

6. Nuclear-Powered Data Centers 

On this article, Wylie Wong discusses the intersection of information facilities and nuclear energy. Small nuclear reactors are sometimes prefabricated models that may be transported and put in on-site and are extra reasonably priced and simpler and sooner to construct than massive reactors. Wong explains how with these benefits, small nuclear reactors could also be an answer to information middle power calls for. 

Learn extra: Going Nuclear: A Information to SMRs and Nuclear-Powered Data Centers 

A creative rendition of an Oklo small modular reactor facility. IMAGE: Oklo

7. Subterranean Data Centers 

Bluebird Underground is a state-of-the-art subterranean information middle in-built an inactive mine. On this article, Scott Stonham interviews

Todd Muren, common supervisor of Bluebird Underground, to find how subterranean information facilities can obtain extra sustainable operations and decrease carbon emissions. 

Learn extra: Working a Data Center From a Subterranean Biosphere

The Bluebird Underground Data Center is situated in a Springfield, Missouri underground mine. IMAGE: Bluebird Community

8. Hydrogen-Powered Data Centers 

Hydrogen energy has lengthy been thought-about a viable various to fossil fuels, regardless of its potential drawbacks. On this article, Steven Hill explains why it’s time to acknowledge hydrogen gasoline as a technique to drastically scale back the greenhouse gases related to information facilities. 

Learn extra: Will Hydrogen Gas the Data Center of the Future? 

9. Data Centers on Wheels 

Might trailer-mounted energy technology assist with information middle power calls for? Drew Robb appears at how these cell energy models may very well be an answer for services scuffling with inner and exterior energy limitations. 

Learn extra: How the Trailer-Mounted Energy Era Might Assist Mitigate the Data Center Vitality Drawback 

10. Data Centers on the Moon 

In 2021, historical past was made when the primary typical information middle was deployed in house. On this article, Maria Korolov considers whether or not house is the most effective place for information facilities and discusses the prices and advantages of such an strategy, and even whether or not information facilities may very well be deployed on the moon. 

Learn extra: Area Is the Closing Frontier for Data Centers