Green data center: definition
The green data center represents a fundamental shift in the design and operation of IT infrastructure. To meet growing environmental challenges and the constant rise in data center energy consumption, these facilities prioritize energy efficiency by reducing their carbon footprint and improving environmental sustainability. This “green” approach is transforming data centers into responsible players in the ecological transition, combining technical performance with respect for the environment. In this way, they are effectively tackling the harmful effects of global warming.
What is a green data center?
Green data centers vs. traditional data centers
The definition of a green data center encompasses a facility with efficient technologies that limit negative environmental impact. Unlike more conventional data centers, the design phase of these energy-efficient facilities incorporates renewable energy sources and cutting-edge technologies for cooling IT equipment. According to a US report by Grand View Research, green data centers are expected to be worth more than $200 billion by 2030 in the United States, with a growth rate of around 19% from 2025 to 2030.
The main difference lies in the holistic approach to sustainability. Traditional facilities prioritize performance and availability, often at the expense of energy efficiency. Green data centers have a unified vision that optimizes all three dimensions simultaneously. This threefold approach—performance, availability, and energy efficiency—is reflected in key indicators such as PUE. The greenest facilities thus have scores well below those seen in conventional data centers.
Technological advances are facilitating this transition. Recent processors consume less energy while delivering equivalent performance, virtualization systems enable workload consolidation, and storage technologies are becoming more efficient. This technological convergence makes green data centers economically viable without compromising the performance required by critical applications.
Green computing: what place does it have in IT infrastructures?
Green computing in data centers is aligned with a comprehensive approach to eco-responsible digital transformation. It goes beyond the limited scope of simple energy optimization to encompass the entire life cycle of IT equipment. From the original manufacture to the final recycling of equipment such as servers, each step helps minimize the overall carbon footprint. For example, eco-sourced materials will be favored whenever possible. Hyperscalers and edge data center operators such as UltraEdge use AI to maximize the efficiency of cooling systems. And reduce energy expenditure by around 30%.
The green data center's predictive capabilities anticipate thermal requirements based on typically observed peak loads, with real-time automation of key cooling system parameters. With the IoT and the use of smart sensors, continuous data is available on all components.
Green computing is thus becoming increasingly central to the design process. Well before planning begins, hosting providers and data centers integrate energy considerations upstream of the planning process. It should be noted that this development is the result of collective awareness and regulations in France and Europe. This major trend is illustrated by the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact, which sets an ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
Sustainable technologies and innovations
Renewable energies and green power
Adopting 100% renewable energy is one of the cornerstones of green data centers' environmental commitment. According to the American ranking "Green Power Partnership National Top 100", Microsoft and Google lead the way in renewable energy spending, with 100% green energy for their hyperscale infrastructures.
The adoption of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) greatly simplifies the ecological transition while securing long-term supply. UltraEdge is committed to using renewable energy and improving its carbon footprint reduction for the coming years. This allows for tariff planning and contributes to the growth of green energy.
It should be noted that hydrogen fuel cells are used for storage by some hosting providers. Smart microgrids smooth out the implementation of fluctuating renewable sources such as solar energy and optimize expected production variations. Resilience and reduced energy transmission losses are key to the Edge approach!
Energy-efficient cooling: free cooling, immersion, etc.
A radical transformation in energy efficiency is being observed thanks to constant innovation in cooling technologies. Free cooling used in edge data centers takes advantage of favorable climatic conditions to instantly cool the most power-hungry equipment without the need for mechanical air conditioning. This advanced technique can reduce energy expenditure by around 50% in temperate climates such as Scandinavia in Europe.
Immersion cooling enables sustainable, resilient, and efficient thermal management, even during sudden episodes of very high loads. Immersion cooling with the application of a dielectric fluid can very quickly remove heat from servers with excessively high operating temperatures. This makes it possible to handle power densities that are virtually unattainable with air circulation, thereby reducing the total consumption of cooling circuits.
Finally, the use of geothermal energy allows us to benefit from the thermal stability of the subsoil and preconditions the air used for cooling. Although passive, this approach is highly effective in minimizing the need for active air conditioning. Heat recovery can also complement these eco-efficient systems by harnessing the thermal energy from server equipment. In this case, it can be used in a district heating network or in the facility itself, or even in agricultural greenhouses. The data center thus creates a real green economy in its own path.
Environmental initiatives and certifications
Certifications, and initiatives in France and Europe
On March 14, 2024, the European Commission adopted regulations aimed at establishing a unified rating system for the sustainability of data centers. Although this is not a green data center certification, it nevertheless requires data centers to submit energy performance KPIs to a centralized European database. This now involves rigorous and regular monitoring of performance to improve environmental performance.
In France, the HQE certification (acronym meaning High Environmental Quality) is developing specific modules for digital infrastructure to meet the high expectations of government agencies. More comprehensive, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certifications address the specific characteristics of buildings used by data centers and incorporate energy efficiency criteria, such as responsible use of resources and environmental quality.
At UltraEdge, we target these certifications and promote technological innovations for greener energy.
Green data center conferences et partages de bonnes pratiques
Each green data center conference is a driving force in the widespread dissemination of eco-responsible innovations thanks to the feedback provided. They facilitate exchanges between solution providers, data center operators, hosting providers, and end customers. A conference systematically includes sessions related to environmental sustainability. This reflects the increasingly significant importance of these issues regardless of the industry.
As a result, green data center initiatives are becoming increasingly important, both in France and globally. One example is the European Gaia-X initiative, which involves the creation of common standards while complying with strict environmental criteria.
The pursuit of innovation enriches these initiatives through extensive R&D programs and investment. For example, the European joint venture for high-performance computing, EuroHPC, is enabling the development of ultra-efficient and eco-efficient supercomputers. Not to mention the numerous public-private partnerships that are significantly accelerating green innovation by pooling risks and creating synergies. This benefits new industrial standards for data centers and maximizes the scope of eco-oriented investment strategies.
Advantages of green data centers
Some of the key advantages of green data centers include:
● Economic efficiency
Energy bills can be reduced by up to 40% depending on the technologies deployed and the conditions of the site. These savings can quickly offset any higher initial investment costs, with a return on investment of less than five years in most cases.
● Overall appeal
By replacing the most energy-intensive facilities or equipment or by using renewable energy, the brand becomes more appealing to an audience that is sensitive to environmental issues. This implies a more positive and virtuous brand image and can facilitate access to “green” subsidies or financing.
● Financial ratings
ESG criteria—Environmental, Social, and Governance—are integrated by default within financial institutions. A green data center will benefit from a better ESG rating, which can influence investment decisions.
● Improved working environment
Reducing the carbon footprint also has an impact on working conditions, such as noise pollution and air quality in confined spaces. This ultimately improves retention and recruitment of technical teams and experts in data centers.
Technical challenges and limitations
Initial investment costs and ROI
An initial investment in green technology will generally represent a significant additional cost compared to more traditional solutions. This premium for eco-friendly innovation can be explained by the lesser maturity of certain technologies and/or the difficulty of finding a service provider that meets all the criteria. Production volumes are increasing but remain low to date. Even though immersion cooling, geothermal energy, and photovoltaic solutions are proven technologies, substantial investments are required, particularly for smaller-scale hosting projects.
A realistic calculation of return on investment must take into account the scalability of energy costs and regulatory constraints. Forecasting complicates a standard financial approach to forecasting because it requires an adjusted and sophisticated economic model. It can be difficult to estimate the “churn” on IT equipment due to the rapid evolution of technologies. The risk of obsolescence of servers or other switches can be measured, but there is a substantial margin of error. This problem is even greater for cooling systems and renewable energy storage solutions, such as photovoltaics.
Furthermore, access to these highly sought-after skills represents both an opportunity and a risk factor. The highly specialized expertise required for green technologies is still in short supply on the job market. This scarcity of skilled labor can therefore delay deployments and increase costs. Alternatively, training for existing teams is offered, even if this may affect the short-term profitability of eco-friendly projects for hosting providers and data centers.
Infrastructures constraints
Integrating renewable energies involves more complex monitoring due to significant technical constraints. Wind and solar power generation is intermittent. For example, the amount of energy produced by a wind turbine at 10 km per hour will not be the same when the wind is stronger. Storage systems or connections to the power grid must therefore be maintained to ensure a continuous power supply for data centers.
Redundancy complicates the architecture of facilities and can increase initial infrastructure costs. In regions with little wind or sunshine, eco-friendly solutions other than wind or solar power will need to be identified. In order to benefit from the most advanced IT equipment cooling techniques, certain installation constraints may apply. For example, free cooling requires a favorable climate, which limits its effectiveness in countries or regions with very high temperatures. The implementation of geothermal energy requires specific geographical conditions and multiple administrative authorizations.
These local constraints can influence the choice of location for a data center and conflict with various criteria such as proximity to the end user or network access. Voltage or frequency variations can be induced by the intermittent nature of certain energy sources. Sophisticated conditioning systems are required, and the increased complexity means that data center operators and hosting providers must install enhanced monitoring systems. Harmonious inter-system orchestration between green energy and conventional electrical energy requires more advanced expertise and a very rigorous initial design.
Future prospects and the role of green data centers
AI is permanently transforming the management of green data centers. Learning algorithms enable real-time optimization of energy consumption by analyzing statistical load patterns and environmental conditions in correlation with green energy sources. This proactive optimization could significantly reduce the energy consumption of data centers. Predictive maintenance is being implemented, making it possible to anticipate equipment failures and replace devices with more eco-friendly alternatives, for example.
Automated recovery of the heat produced will enable the emergence of new economic models with a wider range of possibilities in smart cities, including district heating and greenhouse agriculture. The promotion of renewable energy, which has increased by more than 56% in five years for wind and solar power between 2019 and 2024 according to the RTE report , will directly benefit Edge data centers, which will be fully versatile energy hubs. The recycling of IT equipment will continue to be industrialized, with specialized sectors for recovering rare metals.
UltraEdge and its environmental strategy
UltraEdge optimizes the environmental sustainability of its IT equipment and develops eco-friendly solutions that maximize both local proximity and energy efficiency. Combining the thermal advantages of local distribution—with 250 data centers in France—also reduces the cooling requirements of our Edge data centers. At the same time, free cooling is implemented depending on climatic conditions, and renewable energies are integrated whenever possible.
The implementation of microgrids and decentralized energy sources is facilitated by UltraEdge's distributed architecture. Local optimization allows for an energy mix based on available renewable energy resources: wind power in windy areas or near the sea, solar power in the sunniest regions, or hydroelectric power near a river. We adapt to offer green energy and reduce electricity transmission losses.
Centralized supervision of our Edge data centers optimizes energy expenditure while intelligently distributing workloads according to local conditions. UltraEdge adopts an Edge computing model that is closely aligned with environmental issues, combining technical performance, proximity to end users, and compliance with environmental standards for a reduced carbon footprint. This continues our commitment to a more sustainable digital infrastructure.