Nearing net-zero
Creating the most sustainable data center in the world
PROJECT HISTORY
The challenge
Finding an alternative way to power a large data center campus.
The solution
A self-sufficient microgrid and innovative carbon sequestering to minimize emissions.
The impact
A trailblazing design taking significant steps on the journey towards a net-zero facility
241,050 square-foot
cutting-edge data center
50%
reduction in energy for cooling
Three-story
greenhouse designed to sequester carbon
The challenge
Data centers, physical spaces where data is processed, managed, stored, and disseminated amongst its users, have been criticized in recent years for their perceived hunger for energy, thirst for water and potentially sizeable carbon footprint. As a result, it is harder for the technology industry to locate suitable sites. Moratoriums around the globe have stalled the development of these facilities and put in place limits on power supplies and utilities that hold up the few that are given the green light in years of regulatory approval. So, when Terra Ventures in San Jose, California, decided to use an acquired site to house a data center, rather than a commercial retail complex, they knew it needed to appeal to the community as much as it did potential tenants.
The solution
Terra Ventures came to Arcadis for a data center, what it got was a prototype design for one of the world’s most sustainable data centres that brings this typology closer to net-zero than ever before.
The physical design consists of two separate structures. The first is a three-story, 241,050 square-foot data center with an attached power structure. The second is a three-story, 131,973 square-foot standalone power structure with an attached greenhouse.
The power design revolves around establishing a self-sufficient microgrid that operates independently of the local utility. Near net-zero emissions are achieved by eliminating all backup generators, and utilizing waste fuel cell exhaust heat to generate chilled water via absorption chillers. This supplements data center cooling requirements by as much as 50%.
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The fuel cells for this site are derived from natural gas and will be used as the campus’ primary source of power. The data center’s ‘availability’ – otherwise known as its reliability – is typically measured in ‘nines’, with higher numbers indicating better reliability. For this design, the center has been calculated to have an availability of four-nines and a five (99.995%), equating to approximately 26.28 minutes of downtime on average per-year – an availability which is considered very high, or very reliable by industry standards.
As an added benefit, unused redundant power will be pumped back into the utility power grid, so instead of pulling from the grid, the opposite will be true and an additional potential revenue stream will be created.
To further reduce emissions, the data center will incorporate a ‘greenhouse’ that will benefit from the two byproducts of natural gas fuelled cells, CO2 and H2O. These byproducts will be used to grow fresh fruit and vegetables that can be harvested and sold locally from an onsite community retail store. By increasing CO2 concentrations from 400 parts per million (ambient) to 1,000 parts per million, we will increase the grow yields within the greenhouse by as much as 61%.
Finally, any excess CO2 will be sequestered and bottled via an absorption-desorption process and sold to growers on the retail market.
By working with Arcadis, Terra Ventures can advance upon its ambition to conserve resources and achieve its net zero goals.
The impact
Whilst hydrogen fuel cells remain the 'greenest' solution, this use of natural gas-fueled fuel cells presents a more readily available and viable alternative that takes a huge leap towards a truly net-zero facility.
Compared to typical utility rates, the reduced cost per kW hour available through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the fuel cell manufacturer has the potential to create significant financial savings over the lifespan of the project.
