Source: Fortune
Summary
Nvidia has announced a new server infrastructure that uses liquid cooling, eliminating the need for air-cooling fans that rely on water. The system uses a liquid coolant made of water and propylene glycol that’s recirculated in a closed loop, reducing water usage. Nvidia’s director of data center cooling and infrastructure, Ali Heydari, said the system eliminates “massive amounts of power usage and pretty much all water usage.” The move comes as the United Nations predicted AI-related water consumption could equal the annual needs of 1.3 billion people by the end of the decade.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Nvidia’s new server infrastructure is a response to growing concerns about data centers’ water consumption. The company’s liquid cooling system is a significant step towards reducing water usage. However, the system’s high cost is a catch. Nvidia estimates that a 50-megawatt hyperscale facility could save over $4 million a year in cooling-related energy and water costs. The company’s move is part of a larger trend, with Microsoft also announcing plans to stop using water for cooling in its data centers. The industry is shifting towards more energy-efficient systems, but the cost of these systems remains a challenge.
The water problem is just a symptom of a larger issue: the growing energy consumption of data centers.
Author: Evan Null
