Telco and its data requirements have become a core part of Southeast Asia’s sustainability goals in recent years.
It’s no secret that the rapid growth of Singapore's Information and Communications (I&C) sector, reflecting an 8.6% surge in 2022 compared to the overall economy's 3.6%, has had a huge impact on the region’s economy. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that as this sector expands, the escalating shift of data to the edge poses fresh challenges for telecommunications providers striving for net-zero.
To effectively embrace growth alongside sustainability goals, we must look to innovative new technologies. Adopting IoT and 5G, for example, demands ultra-low latency and extensive scalability, emphasising the need to overcome power constraints and streamline serviceability while reducing maintenance costs.
This is where Precision Liquid Cooling (PLC), comes in. Not only is it a viable and strategic solution that can drive the next generation of growth, but it also aligns with Singapore's dynamic sustainability endeavours.
Challenges facing telco operators
power constraints, heightened density, and escalating expenses.
The constrained availability of power on the grid is a major concern. Urban and remote regions alike worry about diverting power from crucial activities. As telcos require more data processing, enhanced computational power, and GPUs, power usage becomes a crucial hurdle. This limitation compels operators to seek inventive ways to diminish power consumption.
For example, Singapore’s leading telco operator, Singtel, has put emissions targets at the heart of its strategy for the foreseeable future. In fact, their publicly stated ambitions are to reduce their emissions by 42% by 2030.
It’s important to note, however, that telco operators also face the challenge of not only increasing the capacity of their towers but also increasing their overall numbers. The necessity to enhance computing power at each node and expand the number of nodes places a strain on both power budgets and computational capabilities. Emphasising the imperative to maximise the value of each location becomes crucial.
Finally, the amalgamation of elevated density, increased service expenses per site, and a surge in operational costs (OPEX) for maintenance amplifies overall expenditures, especially in remote regions. The logistical and financial demands of servicing edge sites contribute significantly to the rising OPEX, presenting a significant challenge for telco operators.
Embracing liquid cooling as a transformative edge solution
One promising avenue to address these challenges is liquid cooling. Cooling is a vital aspect of data centre operations, consuming approximately 40% of the total electricity used. Liquid cooling is rapidly becoming the solution of choice to efficiently and cost-effectively accommodate today’s compute requirements.
However, not all liquid cooling solutions are the same. This is of particular interest for edge sites in tropical climates such as Singapore; indeed, at COP28, a senior Singapore minister noted the increasing frequency of heat waves across Asia in general.
Direct-to-chip appears to offer the highest cooling performance at chip levels, but because it still requires air cooling, it adds inefficiencies at the system level. It is a nice interim solution to cool the hottest chips, but it does not address the longer-term goals of sustainability, serviceability, and scalability. Meanwhile, tank immersion offers a more sustainable option at the system level but requires a complete rethink of data centre design.
This works against the goals of density, scalability, and, most importantly, serviceability. Facility and structural requirements mean brownfield data centre space is essentially eliminated as an option for both of those solutions, not to mention special training is required to service the equipment.
In Singapore's pursuit of its 2050 net-zero commitment, innovative liquid cooling methods like Precision Liquid Cooling play a pivotal role. This technology combines the best features by effectively dissipating almost 100% of the heat generated by a server's electronic components, slashing energy usage by up to 40%, and completely eliminating water consumption.
Achieved through precision-targeted dielectric coolant, it efficiently extracts heat from the server's hottest parts, ensuring optimal efficiency and reliability. This approach eliminates reliance on conventional air-cooling systems, offering enhanced flexibility in IT design solutions. With no performance-hindering hotspots, no wastage of physical space on unnecessary cooling infrastructure, and minimal water consumption, Precision Liquid Cooling stands out as a sustainable and efficient solution.
Precision Liquid Cooling also lessens strain on chassis components, reducing component failures by 30% and extending server lifecycles. Servers can be hot swapped at both the data centre and at remote locations. Service calls are simplified and eliminate exposure to environmental elements on-site, de-risking service operations.
Singapore's commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability goals is paramount, especially as the telco industry stands on the brink of transformation. Indeed, Singapore has made it clear that it aims to be Asia’s renewable energy hub and understands that 40% of its greenhouse emissions are generated from electricity concerns.
At the extreme edge, telco operators face power limitations, heightened density, and soaring expenses. In response, Precision Liquid Cooling emerges as a sustainable solution for these critical challenges. Implementing these innovative technologies is no longer a nice thing to have - it’s become clear that they are pivotal in curbing energy and maintenance costs while propelling progress toward sustainability goals.
