Digital Realty, Schneider Electric expand partnership on circular economy

The Circular Economy Partnership between Schneider Electric and Digital Realty

The project aims to prolong and maintain the life of the mission-critical systems at PAR6. Schneider Electric equipment, including its Low Voltage (LV) and Medium-Voltage (MV) electrical equipment, switchgear, and three-phase uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), will all fall into the scope of the project, which is in line with Digital Realty’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments.

Digital Realty will benefit from the partnership by being able to reuse key pieces of its electrical infrastructure and components.

The partnership will see new take-back, recycle, and refurbish programs deployed to help reduce Digital Realty’s e-waste and scope 3 emissions, while removing high impact greenhouse gases such as SF6.

It also includes a plan to undertake an industry-first battery rejuvenation assessment to extend the lifecycle of Digital Realty’s VRLA UPS batteries.

The ambition is to create a roadmap that enables Digital Realty to replicate, deploy, and scale-up its circularity initiatives across its sites in Europe.

Over the next 3-5 years, the circularity project is expected to help Digital Realty save and avoid 50%-70% of the embodied carbon within its LV, MV, and three-phase UPS equipment, while prolonging equipment lifecycles.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
2. Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
3. Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
4. Goal 13: Climate Action
5. Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

“We are constantly adapting our strategy and operations to meet the challenges of sustainable development: the circularity of equipment, in this case electrical equipment, is one of the major levers for decarbonizing our activities and our value chain. This is where our collaboration with Schneider Electric, a partner of over 20 years, really comes into its own,” said Fabrice Coquio, senior vice president and managing director of Digital Realty in France.

“Being a good global citizen isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good business sense, and as we move forwards, our ambition is to help customers meet and exceed their environmental goals by leveraging our services,” he added.

Schneider Electric and Digital Realty first partnered on circular economy practices at Digital Realty’s PAR5 data, also in Paris, in late 2022.

“With European data centre growth reaching a record high, driven by the adoption of AI, it’s imperative that operators across the region explore and innovate their approaches to sustainability,” said Marc Garner, senior vice president, secure power division at Schneider Electric, Europe said.

“As we look to the future and digital demands proliferate, it’s vital that technological advancement moves hand-in-hand with circular economy principles – ensuring we build the data centres of the future responsibly for the next generation.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article discusses a partnership between Schneider Electric and Digital Realty to prolong and maintain the life of mission-critical systems at PAR6. This partnership aligns with Digital Realty’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments, which are connected to several SDGs. The project aims to reduce e-waste, scope 3 emissions, and high impact greenhouse gases, while also extending the lifecycle of batteries. These objectives are directly related to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Additionally, the project involves the use of Schneider Electric’s electrical equipment, which falls under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

2. Specific targets under those SDGs based on the article’s content:

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
• Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.

The article mentions the deployment of take-back, recycle, and refurbish programs to reduce e-waste and high impact greenhouse gases, which aligns with Target 12.5. The partnership between Schneider Electric and Digital Realty aims to create a roadmap for circularity initiatives, which contributes to Target 12.8 by promoting sustainable development and lifestyles. The project also focuses on reducing scope 3 emissions and integrating climate change measures, addressing Target 13.2. Lastly, the collaboration between Schneider Electric and Digital Realty exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership that mobilizes knowledge and expertise, supporting Target 17.16.

3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
• Indicator 12.8.1: Extent of use of sustainable development principles in country-level public procurement
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have communicated the establishment or operationalization of an integrated policy/strategy/plan which increases their ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change
• Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals

The article does not explicitly mention these indicators, but they can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. For example, Indicator 12.5.1 can measure the recycling rate and the amount of material recycled as a result of the take-back, recycle, and refurbish programs. Indicator 12.8.1 can assess the extent to which sustainable development principles are incorporated into the procurement processes of Digital Realty. Indicator 13.2.1 can track the number of countries that communicate the establishment or operationalization of policies/strategies/plans to address climate change, which can be influenced by the project. Indicator 17.16.1 can measure the progress made in developing monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the SDGs through multi-stakeholder partnerships like the one between Schneider Electric and Digital Realty.

4. Table presenting the findings:

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: capacitymedia.com

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