As consumers and businesses, the volume of data we use and produce is continuing to grow, so it is not surprising that the number of people using the Internet has surged over the past year. The 2019 Digital Report by Hootsuite highlighted more than one million people are coming online for the first time every day since January 2018. In Ireland, the number of people using internet banking has more than doubled in the space of 10 years according to Eurostat.
In this ever-increasing digital world, there is a need for continued data technological advances which are critical for businesses to succeed and grow. Businesses must act swiftly to compete, launch new products and reach markets, which has seen a growing demand for connectivity. Connectivity is at the lifeblood of the data centre industry, and Ireland is one of the best-connected countries worldwide for its availability of infrastructure.
Ireland is the perfect destination.
More and more companies are looking for connectivity, security and are feeling an increased demand in the need to host their digital assets. The Irish data centre industry shows no signs of slowing down with a total of 48 data centres across the country with 540MW of grid-connected power capacity. A survey of colocation providers by Host of Ireland, found that off-island fibre connectivity, power availability and reliability and are influential factors of data centre investment in Ireland.
The Irish colocation market is becoming a true technology hub, but this does provide challenges for the industry. The increasing presence and electricity demand of data centres is a concern for electricity generation, grid infrastructure and data centres. Although energy efficiency in data centres is a challenge, data centres realise the need to be as efficient as possible.
Energy is a fundamental component of the services data centres deliver to customers. As an industry, we are committed to managing resources responsibly now and into the future and are continually innovating to improve the way we design and operate.
Ireland has one of the most robust, reliable and stable grid systems in Europe. Businesses know that when they choose Ireland as a place to host that they are joining an established, sustainable and secure industry.
DUB3 focused on green energy.
Cooling efficiency is a significant challenge for all data centres. When the ambient temperature outside makes free cooling unfeasible, DUB3 one of our data centres in Ireland, uses adiabatic coolers in conjunction with external chillers to keep the critical infrastructure cool which, includes computer room air conditioners (CRACs), containment systems and data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) software.
Modern data centres have never been as focused on green and renewable energy, and DUB3 is no exception being located on a greenfield site and powered by 100 per cent renewable energy in addition to energy-saving modular architecture. Google, Amazon and Microsoft have committed and in some cases are already achieving 100% renewable energy sources for their data centres in Ireland.
They are not just a big building.
Data centres are seen as a vast warehouse building that consumes a lot of energy and provides room for a lot of servers while in reality, it is so much more. The operations within a data centre are infinitely more important than the building itself. If you are using your smartphone, internet banking or gaming the chances are your data is being processed in a data centre. For our business and Ireland to keep going we need to be able to meet our growing economic data storage needs. As an industry, data centres are making significant developments to becoming more efficient and must continue to make these strives.
Ireland has committed to meeting the national target of 40% renewable energy by 2020 as part of the EU’s target for its member states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the data centre industry must play a role in helping achieve this goal.
