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In the current era of rapid technological advancement, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming societal and professional practices. Schneider Electric, a globally recognised leader in energy management and automation, is at the forefront of this transition, spearheading the development of innovative AI-ready data centre solutions.
During its recent virtual AI broadcast, Schneider Electric presented several critical developments and strategic initiatives designed to address the increasing energy requirements of AI, while ensuring sustainability and operational efficiency.
Data Centres and the AI Revolution
AI is often characterised as a paradigm shift comparable to past industrial revolutions, offering the potential to enhance capabilities, optimise production, transform operational methodologies and mitigate risks. However, the foundational infrastructure for this AI advancement is provided by data centres, which are essential for enabling energy efficiency and decarbonisation.
As AI technologies progress, the energy consumption of data centres is projected to double between 2022 and 2026, according to analysis by the International Energy Agency. This presents a substantial challenge for the industry, which must expand rapidly to leverage AI opportunities while simultaneously maintaining sustainability commitments.
Schneider Electric's AI-Ready Data Centre Solutions
Schneider Electric is dedicated to assisting clients in the deployment and operation of AI-ready data centres. The company has undertaken significant measures to address the substantial energy demands of AI, through the implementation of innovative solutions and the formation of strategic alliances.
A key announcement during the broadcast was Schneider Electric's agreement to acquire Motivair, an expert entity in liquid cooling and thermal management. Liquid cooling is considered a critical technology for future AI data centres, and Motivair's specialised knowledge will augment Schneider Electric's capabilities in this domain.
Furthermore, Schneider Electric disclosed a substantial investment in advancing innovative and sustainable data centre solutions over the next three years. This investment will ensure clients can work with a reliable partner for the expeditious deployment of AI-ready data centres worldwide.
Partnership with NVIDIA
Schneider Electric also highlighted its partnership with NVIDIA, a global leader in AI computing technologies. Jointly, they have initiated the development of new data centre reference designs for sustainable liquid-cooled AI clusters, which are designed to support power densities of up to 132 kilowatts per rack. These reference designs are engineered to accommodate high-density liquid-cooled workloads, enabling accelerated computing capabilities at scale.
Energy Strategy for the AI Era
One of the primary challenges confronting the data centre industry is the imperative to decouple the expansion of data centres from proportional increases in energy consumption. Schneider Electric is addressing this challenge through a comprehensive energy strategy focusing on three essential components: energy procurement, on-site power generation and effective management of power sources.
Schneider Electric provides comprehensive power sourcing services to ensure energy availability from diverse locations and sources. Through its AlphaStruxure division, the company additionally offers on-site power generation alternatives, encompassing wind, solar, gas turbines, engines and hydrogen fuel cells. These integrated solutions are designed to assure energy availability and reduce the time required to power facilities.
Sustainability and Decarbonisation
Sustainability is an intrinsic component of Schneider Electric's corporate mandate. The corporation is committed to supporting its clients in setting, achieving and surpassing sustainability objectives in line with their respective AI strategies.
Schneider Electric’s EcoDesign process ensures that environmental impact considerations are integrated throughout the product development lifecycle. As an illustration, the newly developed Galaxy VXL UPS, which was designed with sustainability as a core principle, achieves a two-tonne reduction in material usage and a 50% reduction in operating costs.
Additionally, Schneider Electric is proactively engaging its supply chain in its broader sustainability initiatives through the Schneider Sustainability Impact Programme. This programme seeks to diminish the carbon intensity of the company's top one thousand suppliers by 50% before 2025.
As AI continues to drive efficiency and productivity across diverse industry sectors, the energy demands of data centres will undoubtedly escalate. Schneider Electric is at the vanguard of developing innovative and sustainable solutions to address these evolving energy requirements.
Through strategic alliances, substantial financial investments and an unyielding commitment to sustainability, Schneider Electric is defining the trajectory of future AI-ready data centres. By fostering collaboration, it is possible to curb energy consumption patterns to decouple data centre growth from proportional power demands, and ensure a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future for all stakeholders.
