Beyond Energy Use: Strategies for Sustainable Data Center Operations – Data Center Knowledge

Sustainable Development in the Expansion of Data Centers

Overview of Data Center Growth and Energy Consumption

The rapid expansion of data centers, driven by the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), presents significant sustainability challenges. By the end of 2024, 1,240 data centers in the United States were either built or approved for construction, intensifying concerns about their energy and natural resource consumption.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a typical hyperscale data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, with larger facilities under construction expected to use up to 20 times more energy. In 2023, data centers accounted for approximately 26% of Virginia’s total electricity consumption, with notable shares in North Dakota (15%) and Nebraska (12%), as reported by the Electric Power Research Institute.

Legislative Measures and Energy Efficiency Initiatives

To align with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, several states have introduced legislation to mitigate grid strain caused by data centers. These measures include incentives or requirements for data centers to provide energy storage or generation to enhance grid reliability.

1. Illinois has enacted H.B. 3758 and S.B. 2497, targeting 15 GW of state energy storage and establishing a virtual power plant program aimed at job creation and energy price reduction.
2. California’s Public Utilities Commission enforces energy efficiency and carbon footprint standards under the California Energy Code (Title 24), indirectly promoting renewable energy use.

Strategic E-Waste Reduction and Circular Economy Practices

Challenges of E-Waste from Data Centers

Data centers contribute significantly to electronic waste (e-waste), with server and GPU refresh cycles occurring every two to five years. Over 80% of outdated equipment is discarded, contributing to millions of tons of e-waste globally. In 2022, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste were generated worldwide, ranking it among the fastest-growing solid waste streams, per the World Health Organization.

A recent study highlights that generative AI alone could add 1.2 to 5 million tons of annual e-waste, exacerbating environmental and health risks. Addressing this issue supports SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Implementing Sustainable Lifecycle Practices

• Modular and Upgradeable Systems: Data centers can reduce e-waste by adopting modular, repairable, and upgradeable hardware systems. Replacing individual components such as power supplies, memory, or processors extends equipment life and reduces full hardware replacements.
• AI-Powered Asset Tracking and Secure Sanitization: Utilizing AI-driven asset tracking and standards-based data sanitization software (e.g., NIST 800-88, ISO 27040) enables secure refurbishment, resale, or donation of hardware components. This approach ensures compliance with data privacy laws and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements, furthering SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Partner Engagement for Sustainable End-of-Life Hardware Management

Role of Third-Party IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) Companies

Collaboration with certified ITAD providers (R2v3 or e-Stewards certified) is essential for responsible hardware disposal. These partners specialize in circular economy processes, extracting usable materials, managing resale channels, and extending component lifecycles, thereby reducing landfill waste and supporting SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

ITAD partnerships help data center operators meet sustainability targets, monetize used assets, and enhance their reputation among eco-conscious stakeholders.

Building a Sustainable Future for Data Centers

Holistic Sustainability Approach

The ongoing expansion of data centers requires operators to adopt comprehensive sustainability strategies that address energy consumption and e-waste management. Integrating AI-enabled lifecycle visibility, secure sanitization, circular design principles, and certified reuse/resale programs enables data centers to:

• Minimize environmental impact on regional energy grids (supporting SDG 7 and SDG 13: Climate Action)
• Reduce landfill waste and preserve critical materials (advancing SDG 12)
• Enhance cyber-resilience and infrastructure sustainability (aligning with SDG 9)

By balancing data security with environmental responsibility, data center operators can contribute significantly to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Article discusses the high energy consumption of data centers and efforts to improve energy efficiency and use renewable energy sources.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Focus on sustainable infrastructure development for data centers and adoption of innovative technologies like AI-powered asset tracking.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Emphasis on reducing e-waste through circular economy models, reuse, refurbishment, and sustainable lifecycle practices.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Addressing carbon footprint management and reducing environmental impact of data centers.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Collaboration with third-party IT asset disposition companies to achieve sustainability goals.

2. Specific Targets Under Identified SDGs

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix (implied by California Energy Code promoting renewable energy use).
   • Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency (energy efficiency standards for data centers).
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse (circular data center models, reuse and refurbishment of hardware).
   • Target 12.6: Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters (carbon footprint management and energy storage to reduce grid strain).
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships (collaboration with certified ITAD companies).

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Energy Consumption Metrics
   • Percentage of total electricity supply consumed by data centers in states (e.g., 26% in Virginia, 15% in North Dakota, 12% in Nebraska).
   • Energy efficiency standards compliance (e.g., California Energy Code Title 24).
   • Capacity targets for energy storage (e.g., Illinois targeting 15 GW of state energy storage).
2. E-Waste Generation and Reduction
   • Amount of e-waste generated globally and by data centers (e.g., 62 million tons globally in 2022, additional 1.2–5 million tons from generative AI).
   • Percentage of e-waste discarded vs. reused or refurbished (more than 80% discarded currently).
3. Certification and Compliance Indicators
   • Use of standards-based data sanitization software compliant with NIST 800-88 and ISO 27040.
   • Certification of IT asset disposition partners (R2v3 or e-Stewards certified).
   • Audit logs generated for compliance with data privacy laws and ESG requirements.
4. Job Creation and Economic Impact
   • Creation of jobs through programs like virtual power plants (e.g., Illinois legislation).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: datacenterknowledge.com