THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW
RECENT PROJECTS THAT CAPTURE AND REPURPOSE WASTE HEAT
• Google is exploring waste heat recovery in its data centres by integrating with local industrial facilities. For instance, in Hamina, Finland, Google’ s data centre provides excess heat to a nearby paper mill, supporting the mill’ s energy needs and enhancing operational efficiency.
• Equinix’ s data centre in Paris, France, directs its waste heat to warm the Olympic swimming pools at the Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre.
• Multiple data centres are implementing initiatives to make use of excess heat for indoor agriculture or greenhouses that require warm air to grow crops in a wide variety of areas.
Harnessing AI to meet demand AI offers countless opportunities to enhance energy efficiency within data centres.
“ By leveraging advanced algorithms, AI can analyse real-time data to optimise cooling systems and drive peak performance while minimising energy use,” says Thierry.
“ For example, Google has implemented AI-driven predictive maintenance for its data centres, using machine learning algorithms to analyse sensor data from equipment like cooling systems, servers, and power units.
This work enables Google to identify patterns that may indicate potential equipment failures, allowing for preemptive maintenance that reduces downtime and enhances reliability.”
Thierry explains how Schneider Electric’ s AI-based platform provides real-time predictive maintenance insights by analysing the performance and condition of data centre equipment.
“ Schneider’ s platform has the ability to prewarn of battery failures in UPS systems and optimises cooling system performance, prompting proactive
32 November 2025