Data centers of the future: powered by superconducting cables for scalable and sustainable growth – Nexans

Report on Power Infrastructure Challenges for Gigawatt-Scale Data Centers and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

The power infrastructure for gigawatt-scale data centers, particularly those supporting Artificial Intelligence, presents significant challenges at both medium-voltage (MV) and low-voltage (LV) levels. These challenges directly impact the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This report analyzes the limitations of conventional cabling solutions in the context of sustainable development.

2.0 Medium-Voltage (MV) Infrastructure Analysis

MV cables connect data center facilities to the primary transmission or distribution grid, supplying bulk power to individual data halls. A next-generation data hall may require between 100 MW and 400 MW. Meeting this demand with conventional technology creates substantial barriers to sustainable infrastructure development.

2.1 Key Challenges at the Medium-Voltage Level

• Unsustainable Physical Footprint: The necessity for numerous parallel underground cables results in a large land footprint, conflicting with the principles of sustainable land use under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Prohibitive Infrastructure Costs: Extensive civil engineering for burying a high volume of cables makes projects extremely costly, hindering the development of resilient and sustainable infrastructure as called for by SDG 9.
• Energy Inefficiency and Environmental Impact: Significant electrical (Joule) losses from conventional cables reduce overall system efficiency and contribute to soil heating. This inefficiency is in direct opposition to SDG 7.3, which targets doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and exacerbates the climate impact, undermining SDG 13.

2.2 Illustrative Case

1. Single Data Hall (300 MW): Powering a single 300 MW hall at 33 kV requires approximately 36 large-section (600 mm²) cables.
2. Full Data Center (1.8 GW): A 1.8 GW facility composed of six such halls would necessitate 216 buried cables. This scale of material and land use represents a fundamentally unsustainable and complex infrastructure model.

3.0 Low-Voltage (LV) Infrastructure Analysis

Within the data hall, power is stepped down to a low voltage (e.g., 480 V or 600 V) to supply IT equipment. At power levels of 100 MW to 400 MW, this results in extremely high currents, ranging from 6 kA to 10 kA, which strains the viability of current LV distribution methods.

3.1 Key Constraints at the Low-Voltage Level

• Inefficient Space Utilization: The large number of LV cables, typically housed in busways, occupies a significant physical volume within the data hall, complicating architectural design and resource management.
• Complex and Costly Installation: The architecture for installing and managing high-current LV cabling is intricate and expensive, posing a challenge to the goal of building cost-effective and sustainable infrastructure (SDG 9).
• Electromagnetic and Thermal Management: High currents create strict electromagnetic compatibility requirements. Furthermore, heat generated by conventional copper cabling increases the load on HVAC systems, compounding operational inefficiency and energy consumption, which is contrary to the objectives of SDG 7.

4.0 Conclusion: Systemic Inefficiencies and SDG Alignment

The reliance on conventional cabling solutions introduces systemic inefficiencies that directly impede sustainability targets. Joule losses alone can reduce a data center’s overall energy efficiency by 5% to 10%. This loss directly undermines progress toward SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by wasting energy and resources. The consideration of active cooling for LV cables highlights that current technologies are reaching their operational limits. A paradigm shift towards innovative, highly efficient power distribution is imperative to align the growth of digital infrastructure with global Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses the significant energy and infrastructure challenges of modern gigawatt-scale data centers. Based on the issues of high energy consumption, electrical losses (inefficiency), and the massive physical footprint of cabling infrastructure, the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are relevant:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The article’s core focus is on the enormous energy demands and the inefficiencies (Joule losses) in power delivery within data centers.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The text highlights the limitations of “conventional cabling solutions” and the need for more efficient and sustainable infrastructure to support the growing data industry.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article points to the “large physical footprint” of the hundreds of buried cables required, which impacts land use and urban infrastructure planning.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The significant energy losses described represent an inefficient and unsustainable pattern of energy consumption.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – High energy consumption and inefficiencies contribute directly to increased energy generation needs, which has implications for greenhouse gas emissions. The heat generated by cabling also contributes to thermal management challenges.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Several specific SDG targets can be linked to the challenges described in the article:

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.3: “By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.” The article directly addresses this by stating that “Joule losses alone can reduce the overall efficiency of the data center by 5 to 10%.” This highlights a clear area where energy efficiency improvements are critically needed.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency…” The article’s description of the “massive, complex, and extremely costly infrastructure” of conventional cabling and its inherent limitations points to the necessity of upgrading this infrastructure with more sustainable and efficient technologies.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities…” The article mentions that the required infrastructure of buried cables leads to “a large physical footprint” and “heat[s] the soil,” which are adverse environmental impacts associated with the development of large-scale industrial infrastructure within or near communities.

4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” Electricity is a critical natural resource. The article’s focus on electrical losses demonstrates an inefficient use of this resource, directly relating to this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several quantitative and qualitative points that can serve as indicators to measure progress:

• Indicator for Energy Efficiency (Target 7.3)

  The article explicitly states that “Joule losses alone can reduce the overall efficiency of the data center by 5 to 10%.” This percentage of energy loss is a direct indicator. Progress could be measured by a reduction in this percentage through new technologies.

• Indicators for Sustainable Infrastructure (Target 9.4)

  The article provides concrete numbers that serve as baseline indicators for current infrastructure inefficiency. For example:

  • The number of cables required: “A 1.8 GW data center… would therefore require 216 buried cables.” A reduction in the number of cables for the same power delivery would indicate progress.
  • The physical footprint: The article mentions “a large physical footprint” and “significant footprint (space occupation)” inside the data hall. Measuring the land area or space required for cabling per megawatt would be a key indicator.

• Indicators for Environmental Impact (Target 11.6)

  The article implies indicators related to environmental side effects:

  • Thermal impact: The text notes that conventional cabling “heat[s] the soil” and “generates significant heat, driving increased demand for HVAC systems.” Measuring soil temperature around cable conduits or the energy consumption of HVAC systems for cooling would be relevant indicators.

• Indicator for Resource Use (Target 12.2)

  The total power demand of data centers is a primary indicator. The article provides figures like “100 MW and 400 MW per data hall” and a “1.8 GW data center.” Tracking the overall energy consumption of the data center industry relative to its computational output would measure the efficiency of resource use.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: nexans.com