Alice Chambers |
Microsoft is building three of the world’s most energy-efficient data centres in Denmark as part of its goal to be carbon negative by 2030. Danish customers using the new data centres will be able to reduce their carbon footprints by more than 90 per cent in comparison to using on-premises data centres.
The centres will provide faster access to Microsoft’s Cloud services and allow the firm’s Danish customers to store their data in centres that use 100 per cent renewable energy.
Microsoft will provide the green power for the centres and use specially designed low-energy hardware that minimise waste heat to make them 80 per cent more energy efficient than a traditional data centre.
The data centre region is designed to achieve the internationally recognised Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Eco-labelled fuel from European Energy’s solar energy project in Svinninge, Denmark, will be used topower its backup generators.
Microsoft will also recycle the surplus heat from the Danish data centres by redistributing it to the municipalities to provide heating for up to 15,000 Danish households.
Furthermore, the firm is collaborating with Køge Municipality to investigate the possibility of a using photovoltaic systems on commercial buildings to contribute to Køge Municipality’s climate plan.
Microsoft aims to complete the data centres by 2024.