Data centres deliver innovative energy use with demand response

August 2021

Data centres deliver innovative energy use with demand response

Digital Realty is a leading global provider of data centre, colocation and interconnection solutions, with over 290 data centres across six continents. The business is focused on delivering practical solutions that maximise energy productivity and resource efficiency. This is important given that data centres are large energy users, and the demand for their services continues to increase as the digital economy grows.

In 2020, Digital Realty’s energy use increased by 24 per cent, due to the new demand for data that followed the pandemic with more people working from home and increased use of streaming services. This amounted to a total energy consumption of 8,000 GWh across the year. That’s enough power for approximately one million average Australian family homes!

Digital Realty partnered with an energy flexibility services provider to identify opportunities to reduce energy costs and help decarbonise their energy supply. As a result, Digital Realty signed two of its data centres up to a virtual power plant (VPP) program with an independent aggregator. A VPP is a network of distributed energy resources – like solar, battery systems and flexible loads – that work together to reduce demand or supply power to the grid when it is needed most. Data centres are good candidates for VPPs because they are typically large energy users with a consistent load.

At times of peak electricity demand, Digital Realty’s sites can support the VPP by proactively shifting to back-up power generation sources, thereby reducing energy consumption from the grid. By participating in a VPP and capitalising on its flexible capacity, Digital Realty directly supports the reliability, security and affordability of Australia’s electricity grid, whilst also increasing the efficient use of their equipment.

This is one facet of Digital Realty’s comprehensive approach to sustainability, which puts energy efficiency first with an ISO 50001-certified energy management system (EnMS), and is supported by a range of renewable energy initiatives and procurement opportunities. This is all underpinned by a commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for realising net zero with science-based emissions reduction targets.

“By supporting our grid power use, we directly help Australia’s grid to be more reliable, efficient and sustainable, both now and into the future.”

Jon Curry Vice President of Operations, Asia Pacific Digital Realty