Schneider Electric’s Digital Economy and Climate Impact report shows that IT-sector-related electricity demand is expected to increase by nearly 50% by 2030. Emissions would not increase by more than 26% by that time because of the decarbonization of the electricity system. According to Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute, continued efforts in achieving efficiencies on the IT and energy sides should mitigate the rise in emissions.
Updated EcoStruxure IT software for efficiency
Released at an exclusive media event presented virtually from Schneider Electric’s Boston Hub, the report highlights how the rise of edge computing requires a specific focus as these systems are expected to be less efficient than hyper-scale data centers from a PUE standpoint.
Pankaj Sharma, EVP of Secure Power at Schneider Electric, said,
“When the world locked down, it also logged on, and internet traffic soared. It’s misleading to assume that digital activity will inevitably result in a deeply problematic increase in CO2 emissions. The Schneider Electric Sustainability Institute analysis puts to rest many of the worst-case scenario claims predicting IT-related electricity use will double every five years. That said, as an industry, we must remain vigilant in finding new sources of sustainability gains while ensuring resiliency as digital keeps life moving forward.”
The report also indicates that the rise of digital consumption created a more complex hybrid environment inclusive of enterprise, cloud, and edge data centers. Schneider Electric updated its EcoStruxure IT data center infrastructure management software and Galaxy VL 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
The company increased remote management capabilities, improved environmental monitoring, and enhanced remote capacity modeling and planning of its EcoStruxure IT software. In addition to this update, Schneider Electric launched Galaxy VL.
Galaxy VL is the modular and scalable 3-phase UPS in the 200 – 500 kW range with up to 99 percent efficiency levels. Now, it comes with redesigned Galaxy Lithium-ion battery cabinets, providing a sustainable, high-density, and innovative energy storage solution for data centers, industrial processes, and critical infrastructure.