Interxion Groundwater System Cools Data Center
By agreement with the Capital Region of Denmark, the system will also act as a remediation system, preventing polluted water running into the great groundwater reservoirs, from which the capital collects its drinking water.
Interxion, a data center provider based in the Netherlands, recently began using a unique groundwater system for cooling its 37,000-square-foot data center in Ballerup. The solution, developed by the consultancy firm Geo in collaboration with Grundfos, the world's leading manufacturer of pumps, "can become the starting signal for a new, Danish export adventure in green technology," according to Grundfos.
As the amount of data at the data center rises, so does the demand for its power and cooling. Interxion has installed a unique groundwater cooling system based on plug-and-play technology that can easily be integrated into remaining cooling systems. The solution was launched May 7 by Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation Mogens Jensen. "The new groundwater cooling system shows that in Denmark, we are at the global forefront regarding sustainable and energy efficient solutions. Both data centers and cooling technology are sectors developing rapidly with a huge international growth potential. And I have no doubts that the innovative solution, which Geo, Grundfos, and Interxion have created together, will pave the way for more international investments and even greater export of green Danish technology."
"There is a lot of focus on energy consumption in data centers. Now, we are able to present a CO2-neutral cooling system, which can be used throughout the year, both when cooling is needed and for recycling heat for warming up buildings. We hope the solution can pave the way for a more intelligent utilization of data centers' heat production, together with reducing the vast consumption of traditional compressor cooling in the hot summer months," said Interxion Managing Director Peder Bank.
"It has been important for us developing a standard solution, which can be reproduced and used by companies worldwide. Together with Grundfos, we have developed a concept that utilizes the storage capacity of the underground and which can easily be connected to companies' existing cooling systems," saod Jesper Furdal, department head of groundwater at Geo. "The new cooling system is the result of a unique partnership. Grundfos has the pumps and we have the necessary knowledge about groundwater and installations below ground, in order for us to launch this new product."
By agreement with the Capital Region of Denmark, the system will also act as a remediation system, preventing polluted water running into the great groundwater reservoirs, from which the capital collects its drinking water. "We have made the deal with Ballerup municipality and the Capital Region of Denmark, which states that in case the surrounding pollution in the ground should reach the groundwater cooling system's lime deposit, the Capital Region of Denmark can use the system as a remediation system. With that, the system will secure that the pollution will not reach the water used by Copenhageners for drinking," Bank explained.
The groundwater cooling system will provide energy savings of 1,233 Mwh when the system is fully operational. It is equivalent to savings of 308 tons of CO2 when purchasing traditional electricity. "We save 1,233 Mwh – equivalent to 308 tons of CO2 in traditional electricity, but since we already only buy green electricity, we actually cannot save more CO2. Having said that, there are still further environmental winnings to collect for us, since the solution enables us to subsequently reuse the heat and warming up our buildings," Bank explained.