The exponential growth of data centers, fueled by the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, has created an urgent need for sustainable cooling solutions. Traditional air-cooling methods are proving inadequate for the high-density computing environments demanded by AI workloads, leading tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta to explore and adopt innovative technologies, including those initially developed for electric vehicles (EVs), to address the challenges of thermal management and energy efficiency.
One of the most promising trends is the adoption of liquid cooling systems. These systems, which use coolants to absorb and transfer heat more efficiently than air, are becoming increasingly prevalent. There are two main types of liquid cooling: direct-to-chip cooling, where liquid channels circulate directly across heat-generating components, and immersion cooling, where entire servers are submerged in non-conductive coolant liquids. Google has embraced liquid cooling on a large scale, deploying it in its Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) pods, which now operate at gigawatt scale. These liquid-cooled systems have replaced bulky heatsinks with compact cold plates, effectively halving the physical footprint of server hardware and quadrupling compute density.
Microsoft is also investing heavily in liquid cooling, viewing it as a key strategy for driving IT hardware efficiency. The company is retrofitting existing data centers with custom solutions like the "sidekick," a component that sits adjacent to server racks and circulates fluid like a car radiator. This approach reduces the energy required for cooling and increases rack density, enabling more compute power per square foot. Moreover, Microsoft is pioneering zero-water cooling technologies that recycle water through a closed-loop system, eliminating the need for a fresh water supply. New data center projects in Phoenix, Arizona, and Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin, are set to pilot these zero-water evaporated designs.
Meta is similarly focused on optimizing cooling efficiency to reduce energy and water consumption. The company's data centers utilize a two-tiered penthouse design that relies on 100% outside air for cooling. Reinforcement learning-based approaches are used to reduce energy consumption and water usage across various weather conditions. Meta is also revamping its new data center designs to optimize for AI, applying the same methodologies for future data center optimizations.
Drawing on EV technology, these companies are also exploring 400VDC systems to enhance power delivery and thermal management. The Mt. Diablo initiative, supported by Meta, Microsoft, and the Open Compute Project (OCP), aims to standardize interfaces at this voltage level. Google notes that this architecture improves efficiency by approximately 3% and frees up valuable rack space for compute resources by decoupling power delivery from IT racks via AC-to-DC sidecar units.
Beyond liquid cooling and EV-derived power systems, other innovative cooling technologies are emerging. Geothermal cooling uses the Earth's constant subsurface temperature for cooling. Smart technologies, including AI and machine learning, are being deployed to monitor facilities more efficiently and make real-time adjustments to optimize temperatures and humidity levels. Evaporative cooling, which uses water evaporation to cool the air, is also being refined to minimize water consumption.
The transition to these advanced cooling technologies is driven by the need to reduce the environmental impact of data centers. These facilities are significant energy consumers, and their water usage can strain local resources, particularly in drought-prone areas. By adopting more efficient cooling methods, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and other industry leaders are striving to minimize their carbon footprint, conserve water, and promote sustainable data center operations.
