European datacentre operators worried about energy supply
More than half of operators are concerned about the grid's ability to meet current demand
A recent study by British electricity business Aggreko has revealed that European datacentre operators are becoming concerned with their energy supply, as they struggle to obtain cost-effective and reliable power.
Aggreko asked 700 datacentre consultants at leading corporations in seven countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. It found that European operators are facing a range of challenges, including soaring energy prices, shortages in the supply chain and increasing power consumption.
All of these issues are posing a threat to datacentre operators' ability to maintain uninterrupted operations.
The datacentre industry's energy consumption rate is surging, and operators are finding it difficult to establish both long- and short-term solutions to counteract future uncertainty and incoming stringent regulations.
According to the study's findings [pdf], 55% of respondents shared concerns about the local grid and energy infrastructure's ability to cater to even current demand.
Regional markets were divided when asked about their confidence in the grid's capacity to meet both present and future requirements.
Respondents in Ireland and the Netherlands, both of which get most of their energy from gas, were the most sceptical about their local grid's capabilities. Nearly half of Dutch respondents said the grid was either "not very able" or "not able at all" to meet the demand.
On the other hand, operators in France, which has a large supply of reliable nuclear power, were more confident in the grid's ability to meet the demand.
Datacentre operators in the UK were more worried about energy pricing than access to energy.
Guido Neijmeijer, European leader of datacentres at Aggreko, said, "Grid shortcomings are common throughout Europe, and they lack a clear or immediate fix."
Neijmeijer suggests that the solution is to prioritise hybrid generation, and batteries for storage. This approach would help reduce facilities' dependence on the grid and strike a balance between power, sustainability and efficiency.
A majority of operators in each region acknowledged the importance of collaborating with suppliers that have an active commitment to an environment, social, and governance (ESG) programme.
The UK and France emerged as the leading countries in this regard.
The Nordic countries already have better access to renewable energy sources. Sweden, for example, derives most of its electricity from hydro-electricity, nuclear energy and increasingly from wind power, according to the International Energy Agency.
Aggreko's research also found that some operators are exploring demand-side response (DSR) schemes to counter the escalating electricity costs. These schemes involve encouraging companies to moderate their energy use at peak times.
Respondents from France, Germany, and the UK were the most interested in using DSR to offset the rising cost of electricity. However, despite rising energy prices, DSR remains a relatively underutilised resource across European datacentres.
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