Latest news with #DataCenterWorld
Technical.ly
06-05-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Data center leaders sound the alarm on energy concerns — and a better public narrative
A global data center conference chose DC as its host city for its annual event — about an hour away from the sector's main geographic hub. Data Center World brought in more than 4,000 attendees across a week of programming last month at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown DC. Panels and talks focused on workforce development, energy innovation and construction. Household names like 'Shark Tank's' Kevin O'Leary gave remarks, in addition to some local leaders from the data center capital of the world. Data centers, which doubled in megawatt supply in North America between 2023 and 2024, have a particularly high concentration in one Northern Virginia county — Loudoun County. The region dubbed 'Data Center Alley' already has 200 data centers and 117 to be built, per a white paper published by the Ashburn District Supervisor Mike Turner. This surge presents many local issues, like demands on the energy grid. That makes Northern Virginia a key place to solve the problems, he said on a panel at the conference. 'If you can solve it in Loudoun County,' Turner said, 'you can solve it anywhere.' Given this demand's growth in tandem with increased artificial intelligence use, as well as the energy required to power and cool these massive sites, panelists acknowledged concerns from consumers, alternative energy possibilities and the need for more work pipelines into the industry. These conversations are taking place at the Commonwealth's highest political levels. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill Friday that would require site assessments, including a review of environmental and noise impacts from data centers. Keep scrolling to get more details and key takeaways from the Data Center World conference. Data centers have a 'PR problem' There's no question that data centers have a negative perception, as electricity costs go up for consumers and noise pollution disrupts people's sleep. 'Shark Tank's' O'Leary highlighted this narrative issue as much during a keynote about investing in data centers. 'This is a huge PR problem,' he said, adding: 'My job for this industry is to communicate to everybody that we are really good guys. We're coming to town and we're bringing power.' That power is stranded natural gas, one of his investment priorities. He additionally noted the intentionality of that language — to avoid framing infrastructure as needing gas or oil, but 'power.' Other speakers addressed this desire to reframe the narrative. Buddy Rizer, the executive director of Loudoun County Economic Development, is urging data center leaders to try to push their narratives more, he said on a panel. 'We are a major hub for Google, Microsoft, Meta,' Rizer said. 'Those are good things. I think that for the longest time, we were reticent to tell our own story, because there's always going to be a story told. If you're not telling the story, then you surrender the narrative to somebody else.' He cited benefits from data centers' property tax revenue, like improvements to schools and roads in Loudoun County, as a detail to help push positive framing. He also noticed that as more data centers were built, the more people took notice and started to show concerns about noise pollution and how the massive structures looked in communities. Before the pandemic, he saw people being 'positive' about data centers, he said. With these complaints, listening is key, Rizer said. He gets a lot of hate mail, but also makes an effort to return emails and calls, and attend public meetings to talk to people. That engagement has helped, he said. 'They felt like I'm not some nameless, baseless bureaucrat who's just focused on tax revenue, right?' he said. 'That I'm actually part of the community, that I'm listening, that I'm responding and always respectful, even if they're not respectful to me.' More energy options are needed to power data centers O'Leary started investing in data centers years ago. His venture firm, O'Leary Ventures, is focusing on investing in stranded natural gas for at least the next five years, he said. The term refers to gas resources not yet tapped for economic reasons. Simply put, the cost of development and production is too expensive when compared to the value of the gas in the marketplace. Using stranded natural gas will change that story, he hopes. Data centers consumed about 4.4% of total US electricity in 2023, per data the Department of Energy released at the end of 2024. That's expected to increase to as much as 12% by 2028. Much of the data center industry has an interest in nuclear energy. For example, Amazon Web Services signed several agreements to develop nuclear power projects, including one at Virginia's Lake Anna. Ashburn's Turner said the industry is moving to nuclear power options, but not in Loudoun County at the moment. The amount of waste produced makes him hesitant about small modular reactors. Instead, he wants to see a microgrid set up on land just south of Dulles airport, because there isn't enough land in Data Center Alley to pull this off. It would be on a separate line from the commercial and residential grid structure, but that'll take a lot of time, planning and coordination to pull off, he said. 'Nuclear is coming,' Turner said. 'That is the wave of the future.' Regardless of these issues, data center construction can't slow down, said CIO Nancy Novak of Compass Datacenters, a multinational developer of data center infrastructure based in Texas. That would slow down innovation. Every industry relies on data infrastructure, Novak said. It's not an 'if' more data centers are built, but a 'how.' Identifying ways to sustainably build and power the structures is a major part of that. The industry needs a proper workforce There is a high demand for workers in the trades (such as electricians, welders and ironworkers) to build and maintain data centers. At the same time, according to Novak, the existing workforce is aging out of the industry, and there are too few young workers to step in. 'They're going to be retiring in less than a decade, right?' Novak said, adding: 'The skill level needs to be there. We're in a crisis now.' Workforce development is a major part of sustainable data center development, per consultant Mara Ervin, who spoke on a panel about collaboration in the industry. Several organizations are working on this in Loudoun County, including the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, local unions and community colleges. But she's seen the work take place in silos. 'We've been doing it in pockets through these organizations,' Ervin said. 'But we really haven't come together.' Since the federal government started implementing mass layoffs, Loudoun's Rizer has seen former employees flood into community colleges to upskill. They aren't just pursuing fields like technology and construction, but also fields like sales and marketing, which he finds crucial to the industry. 'There are these opportunities to reskill, reinvent, retrain yourself,' Rizer said, 'and find something that is future-facing.'
Business Wire
21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Data Center World 2025 Grew by Over 70%, Brought the Data Center Ecosystem Together to Discuss the Future of Data Centers and Digital Infrastructure
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Data Center World, the leading global conference for data center IT infrastructure, mission-critical facilities management, new power designs and solutions, emerging construction practices, and the innovative tools and technologies needed to become an AI factory, grew by over 70% and brought nearly 4,500 attendees and over 400 exhibitors to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. to discuss the future of data centers and digital infrastructure. The event offered keynote presentations, panel discussions and case studies on the topics: Emerging IT & Data Center Technologies; Colocation, Hyperscale, and Cloud Innovation; Data Center BUILD; and Power Sourcing & Sustainability. Data Center World is AFCOM's annual gathering of IT and data center professionals. 'The pace of innovation in the data center space is staggering. Powering this evolution is the challenge—and the opportunity—of a generation. We brought the data center ecosystem together to explore, learn and network around topics critical to the data center industry,' said Tara Gibb, Senior Director, Data Center World. 'This year our event grew by over 70% in comparison to the 2024 event. We expect next year's event to be even more robust. We are excited to unite the global data center community again next year at Data Center World 2026, taking place April 20-23 in Washington, D.C.' Data Center World event highlights: Expo Hall Data Center World's Expo Hall expanded by 74% and featured over 400 of the industry's leading solution providers showcasing their latest innovations to attendees, which empowered data center leaders to pick and choose from the technologies that would best improve their data center strategy. The Expo Hall featured a Data Center World Theater that hosted Solution Spotlight Sessions, the Innovation Challenge, and Data Center World's third annual Rack and Stack Challenge, which brought together multiple teams of two to see who could create the tidiest rack space in the shortest amount of time. Keynotes This year's keynotes provided a comprehensive overview of the current trends impacting the data center industry including Wade Vinson Chief Data Center Engineer at NVIDIA; Lucia Tian, Head of Clean Energy and Decarbonization Technologies, Google; Jeffrey Olson, Vice President of Business Development & Finance, Kairos Power; and Kevin O'Leary, Shark Tank veteran and renowned investor. Data Center World Innovation Challenge The Data Center World Innovation Challenge contest pitted data center technology startups against each other. The panel of judges included Vlad Galabov, Senior Director, Enterprise Infrastructure Research, Omdia; Raymond Parpart, Director Data Center Strategy & Operations | IT Services, The University of Chicago; and Tara Gibb, Senior Director, Data Center World. Data Center Innovation Challenge Winners include: Most Disruptive Technology – Energy Efficient HVAC Air Filters | R-Zero Best Chance for Market Success – Exowatt | A Bold New Future in Energy Starts Here Best Ability to Gain Additional Capital – FlexConnect for Data Centers Most Influential Founding Team – Exowatt | A Bold New Future in Energy Starts Here Data Center World Awards Programs Data Center World offered two awards programs. The Data Center World Lifetime Achievement award honors a leader who has made significant contributions to the industry – demonstrating mentorship, dedication to sustainability, and promotion of innovative technologies and processes in the data center. Christian Belady, Senior Advisor, DigitalBridge received the third annual award. The Data Center Manager of the Year celebrates exceptional leaders in the data center industry and was awarded to Ryan Patten, Director of Site Operations, Novva Data Centers. Finalists included: Jakob Bergstedt, Head of Operations, Conapto Jeffrey Burns, Data Center Manager, NYI James Hart, Operations & Maintenance Regional Director East, TECfusions Ryan Osborn, Director of Operations, Scott Data Center Ryan Patten, Director of Site Operations, Novva Omdia Analyst Summit Data Center World hosted the Omdia Analyst Summit presented by global technology research firm, Omdia. The fourth annual Summit featured a vendor-agnostic perspective on industry and technology trends. Power Up Program Data Center World hosted its third annual PowerUp Program, which offered STEM students from Northern Virginia Community College sessions with data center professionals, valuable advice for professional development from industry experts, a 'Data Center 101' class, and access to the expo floor, all designed to embolden students and young professionals to consider a career in the data center industry. NEW: Data Center World Power Conference Data center power is the lifeblood of modern digital infrastructure, enabling everything from cloud computing to AI, and requires substantial energy for servers, cooling, and other essential systems. Data Center World is announcing that it will host a new event, Data Center World Power, which will take place September 29-October 1, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. To stay up to date with Data Center World Power news, visit Data Center World will take place April 20-23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. For additional information on exhibition or sponsorship opportunities, contact Susan Gillespie at Stay connected with Data Center World on X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. About Data Center World Data Center World is the global conference for data center facilities and IT professionals. It offers premier education, abundant networking, and the broadest access to best-in-class vendors. Designed to help data center and IT infrastructure professionals with challenging issues, Data Center World presents top quality knowledge without bias towards a specific vendor product or service. CIO Dive named Data Center World one of the top technology conferences to attend in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Additionally, for the third year in a row, Data Center World has been recognized by Trade Show Executive as a fast-growing trade show. Data Center World 2026 will be held April 20-23, in Washington, D.C. Data Center World is produced by Informa PLC. Building on the success of Data Center World U.S., the inaugural Data Center Asia, taking place July 15-17, 2025 in Hong Kong, will serve as the epicenter for data center technology innovations and business transformations in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets. About AFCOM AFCOM advances data center and IT professionals by delivering comprehensive and vendor-neutral education and peer-to-peer networking to its members around the world. Through forward-looking research, AFCOM supports thousands of IT, operations, facilities, builders/designers and vendors working in the data center and IT infrastructure industry. In serving the data center industry for more than 40 years, AFCOM has earned recognition as the market leader in educating, connecting and guiding the data center community.
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Data Center World 2025 Grew by Over 70%, Brought the Data Center Ecosystem Together to Discuss the Future of Data Centers and Digital Infrastructure
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2025-- Data Center World, the leading global conference for data center IT infrastructure, mission-critical facilities management, new power designs and solutions, emerging construction practices, and the innovative tools and technologies needed to become an AI factory, grew by over 70% and brought nearly 4,500 attendees and over 400 exhibitors to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. to discuss the future of data centers and digital infrastructure. The event offered keynote presentations, panel discussions and case studies on the topics: Emerging IT & Data Center Technologies; Colocation, Hyperscale, and Cloud Innovation; Data Center BUILD; and Power Sourcing & Sustainability. Data Center World is AFCOM's annual gathering of IT and data center professionals. 'The pace of innovation in the data center space is staggering. Powering this evolution is the challenge—and the opportunity—of a generation. We brought the data center ecosystem together to explore, learn and network around topics critical to the data center industry,' said Tara Gibb, Senior Director, Data Center World. 'This year our event grew by over 70% in comparison to the 2024 event. We expect next year's event to be even more robust. We are excited to unite the global data center community again next year at Data Center World 2026, taking place April 20-23 in Washington, D.C.' Data Center World event highlights: Expo Hall Data Center World's Expo Hall expanded by 74% and featured over 400 of the industry's leading solution providers showcasing their latest innovations to attendees, which empowered data center leaders to pick and choose from the technologies that would best improve their data center strategy. The Expo Hall featured a Data Center World Theater that hosted Solution Spotlight Sessions, the Innovation Challenge, and Data Center World's third annual Rack and Stack Challenge, which brought together multiple teams of two to see who could create the tidiest rack space in the shortest amount of time. Keynotes This year's keynotes provided a comprehensive overview of the current trends impacting the data center industry including Wade Vinson Chief Data Center Engineer at NVIDIA; Lucia Tian, Head of Clean Energy and Decarbonization Technologies, Google; Jeffrey Olson, Vice President of Business Development & Finance, Kairos Power; and Kevin O'Leary, Shark Tank veteran and renowned investor. Data Center World Innovation Challenge The Data Center World Innovation Challenge contest pitted data center technology startups against each other. The panel of judges included Vlad Galabov, Senior Director, Enterprise Infrastructure Research, Omdia; Raymond Parpart, Director Data Center Strategy & Operations | IT Services, The University of Chicago; and Tara Gibb, Senior Director, Data Center World. Data Center Innovation Challenge Winners include: Data Center World Awards Programs Data Center World offered two awards programs. Finalists included: Omdia Analyst Summit Data Center World hosted the Omdia Analyst Summit presented by global technology research firm, Omdia. The fourth annual Summit featured a vendor-agnostic perspective on industry and technology trends. Power Up Program Data Center World hosted its third annual PowerUp Program, which offered STEM students from Northern Virginia Community College sessions with data center professionals, valuable advice for professional development from industry experts, a 'Data Center 101' class, and access to the expo floor, all designed to embolden students and young professionals to consider a career in the data center industry. NEW: Data Center World Power Conference Data center power is the lifeblood of modern digital infrastructure, enabling everything from cloud computing to AI, and requires substantial energy for servers, cooling, and other essential systems. Data Center World is announcing that it will host a new event, Data Center World Power, which will take place September 29-October 1, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. To stay up to date with Data Center World Power news, visit Data Center World will take place April 20-23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. For additional information on exhibition or sponsorship opportunities, contact Susan Gillespie at [email protected]. Stay connected with Data Center World on X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. About Data Center World Data Center World is the global conference for data center facilities and IT professionals. It offers premier education, abundant networking, and the broadest access to best-in-class vendors. Designed to help data center and IT infrastructure professionals with challenging issues, Data Center World presents top quality knowledge without bias towards a specific vendor product or service. CIO Dive named Data Center World one of the top technology conferences to attend in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Additionally, for the third year in a row, Data Center World has been recognized by Trade Show Executive as a fast-growing trade show. Data Center World 2026 will be held April 20-23, in Washington, D.C. Data Center World is produced by Informa PLC. Building on the success of Data Center World U.S., the inaugural Data Center Asia, taking place July 15-17, 2025 in Hong Kong, will serve as the epicenter for data center technology innovations and business transformations in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets. About AFCOM AFCOM advances data center and IT professionals by delivering comprehensive and vendor-neutral education and peer-to-peer networking to its members around the world. Through forward-looking research, AFCOM supports thousands of IT, operations, facilities, builders/designers and vendors working in the data center and IT infrastructure industry. In serving the data center industry for more than 40 years, AFCOM has earned recognition as the market leader in educating, connecting and guiding the data center community. View source version on CONTACT: Media Meryl Franzman Data Center World E:[email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY OTHER ENERGY ENERGY NETWORKS INTERNET HARDWARE DATA MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Data Center World Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/21/2025 11:11 AM/DISC: 04/21/2025 11:12 AM
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Modius® Inc. Launches Game-Changing 3D Visualization for OpenData® Platform
Revolutionizing Data Center Management with Real-Time 3D Visualization for Enhanced Asset Control and Decision-Making 'This new 3D visualization capability is a significant leap forward for our OpenData platform.'— Craig Compiano WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2025 / / -- At the Data Center World event, Modius Inc. is thrilled to unveil an innovative 3D visualization capability for its OpenData® DCIM platform. This new feature provides users with 3D floor plan representations directly from the asset database, ensuring real-time accuracy without the need for external tools. With this enhancement, users can seamlessly drag and drop assets and apply dynamic filters to visualize complex scenarios, effectively highlighting asset structures and attributes. This capability significantly improves the visualization of space, power, and cooling capacity constraints. Key Benefits of the 3D Visualization Capability Include: * Visual Asset Representation: Display 3D models of data center assets. * Status-Based Highlighting: Indicate power utilization, U-space utilization, and alarm statuses. * Immediate Floorplan Updates: Reflect asset changes instantly when modified by the user. * Interactive Asset Configuration: Select and modify assets directly within the floorplan. * Predefined Asset Filters: Toggle visibility of assets based on predefined categories. * Drag-and-Drop Repositioning: Move assets within the floorplan using intuitive controls. * Layered Image Display: Support multiple overlaid image layers for enhanced visualization. Craig Compiano, CEO of Modius, said, 'This new 3D visualization capability is a significant leap forward for our OpenData DCIM platform. Our users will benefit from enhanced clarity and control over their data center environments, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently.' If you are at Data Center World this week, stop by Booth 436 and chat with our team onsite! About Modius Modius Inc. is a world-leading end-to-end solution provider for managing the availability, capacity, and efficiency of critical facilities, including data centers, smart buildings, telecommunications environments, and IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystems. OpenData®, our flagship offering, provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing mission-critical infrastructure, from device integration to advanced analytics and real-time dashboards. Headquartered in San Francisco, Modius is proud to be ISO/IEC 27001 certified, and a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) certified company. Brett Udashkin Modius Inc +1 647-718-2738 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X LinkedIn YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Schneider Electric Unveils EcoConsult for Data Centers to Optimize Data Center Infrastructures
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital transformation for energy management and automation, announced the launch of EcoConsult for Data Centers — an innovative consulting service designed to help data center and IT managers achieve unparalleled operational efficiency and maximum uptime – today at the Data Center World conference in Washington, DC. EcoConsult for Data Centers is crafted to address the most pressing demands in the industry, including improving uptime, reducing the total cost of ownership, and aligning with sustainability objectives. Starting with a detailed analysis of power distribution, IT/server room infrastructure assets, and cooling systems, EcoConsult for Data Centers services identify potential risks and inefficiencies, providing actionable insights for modernizing and maintaining data centers. 'In today's fast-paced digital environment, maintaining peak uptime while minimizing costs and extending the life of critical infrastructure is paramount,' said Jerome Soltani, Senior Vice President, Services, Schneider Electric. 'EcoConsult for Data Centers offers a comprehensive approach to achieving these goals by providing the tools and insights needed to tackle their unique challenges, such as aging infrastructure. Bringing this new level of expertise and innovation to market represents a significant step forward in our commitment to data center managers, empowering them to meet their operational goals with confidence.' The backbone of Schneider Electric's EcoConsult service is a global network of more than 250 consultants, supported by 430 service centers, and 6,500+ service representatives, helping ensure consistent, reliable, and high-quality service worldwide. Our comprehensive assessment services leverage the latest digital tools and methodologies to enhance power system design, cooling efficiency, and cybersecurity measures, among other critical factors, to optimize data center infrastructures. Approximately 36% of U.S. data centers are more than 10 years old and lack a facility wide proactive asset management strategy. EcoConsult for Data Centers provides a roadmap towards ensuring maximum uptime, reduction in total cost of ownership, and life extension of the total IT/Server infrastructure. By partnering with Schneider Electric, facility and IT managers/directors gain insights into the needs of their infrastructures and an action plan for addressing challenges in the medium and long-term. This service not only prepares your data center for current demands but also ensures readiness for future growth and technology adoption. To learn more about EcoConsult for Data Centers, please watch the overview video or visit the Schneider Electric booth #377 at Data Center World, April 14-17, 2025, in Washington, DC to speak with a service expert. About Schneider Electric Schneider's purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On. Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency. We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitalization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers. We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all. Discover Life Is On Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog Discover the newest perspectives shaping sustainability, electricity 4.0, and next generation automation on Schneider Electric Insights View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Schneider Electric
