There goes a data center… with algae!

Recycling heat emitted by data centers with algae

The project to install a moss forest on the roof of the Data4 data center in the Marquesas, in collaboration with the University of Paris-Saclay, represents a major innovation in the field of information and technology. environment. The partnership aims to use heat generated by data center servers to recycle algae into biomass. Thus this will be the world’s first bio-circular data center.

The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of digital infrastructure while building a model for renewable energy production.

till now, The means put in place by some data centers to reduce their environmental impact only make it possible to capture 20% of the heat emitted by their building. Why did Data4 and Paris-Saclay University choose Algae? Because the latter has ” Carbon capture that can be 20 times greater than trees (for the same surface area) », explains Patrick Duvat, Vice-President of the Université Paris-Saclay and President of the Université Paris-Saclay Foundation. Biomass produced from this algae can thus be converted into new sources of energy, which can be used directly by data centers or distributed to other sectors such as industry.

Making the data center a player in the energy transition

This interdisciplinary project brings together experts in fields ranging from research on biomass to artificial intelligence, including physics, chemistry and economics. With significant energy consumption and CO2 emissions, data centers are often singled out for their environmental impact. And for good reason, The latter must be continuously supplied and retain their heat minimum

20°C to avoid breakage.

Data centers can no longer be bad students, but real players in the energy transition. A Data4 initiative that can thus serve as a model for other industries and regions.