GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IS A VIABLE CLEAN ENERGY SOURCE FOR DATA CENTERS |
Planning a data center with renewable energy supply has been a difficult task up until now.
The reason is that the traditional renewable energy types like wind and solar are not stable on a 24/7 basis. But over the last few years a new type of renewable energy form has emerged and this can fulfill the requirements from the datacenter namely Geothermal energy. In the Geothermal area two inventions have brought the energy form from being limited to Volcanic active areas, to now being competitive over most of the world. Some of the parameters that a datacenter has to consider when choosing the energy supply is:
The two inventions that have brought Geothermal energy on the table is a new drilling technique and a new turbine construction. On the drilling site it is a new drilling head that last longer and drill faster than conventional methods. It is estimated that the new technique can reduce drilling cost with 50 to 70%. The turbine is normally producing power at high temperature, but a new turbine type can produce electricity at temperatures around 100 degrees C. Power 24/7 The most important thing is the constant power supply 24/7. Wind and Solar cannot deliver this for obvious reasons. Geothermal energy is dragging the power from heat in the core of the earth and this is very constant. When the bore holes first are drilled the heat from the earth will produce clean energy over the next decades without changes. Geothermal energy is total co2 neutral, and as a constant energy source only thermal and nuclear energy can live up to this in a single process. The investment in nuclear energy is very high and the resistance among population is high. Thermal energy is a simple and clean energy form where the technology involved has been known and used for the last 100 years. |
Thermal energy
Thermal energy can produce from 5 to 30 mw in a single setup, and the site can be built directly on the site of the datacenter. By doing this the center can be isolated and thereby protected against grid problems, that can range from simple power fallout to major surges in the power that will destroy the datacenter. It has been discussed when the next major solar storm will occur, and how much of the grid it will destroy. Last known example on a solar storm did hit Sweden and destroyed some of the grid. Standing waves on the grid is another challenge when they get out of control they can destroy the grid. It is important to note that the backup of power from traditional coal and oil sources is falling and alternative energy is taking over. But this will present a problem in case of no wind and cloudy weather for a longer period. There can be situations where there will not be sufficient backup to provide the needed power and the grid will shut down. Some of this can be offset by batteries but they will also have a limit. Geothermal energy Geothermal energy can solve all these problems, and when building the data center the grid connection is an excellent backup to the thermal energy not the other way around. Cost of thermal energy can vary from place to place depending on the temperature in the underground, but typically it will be needed to drill between 1 and 3.000 meter with four drilling holes, water is injected in one hole and the hot water can then be harvested from the three other drilling holes. It is a circulation system to there will be no pollution from the production as it is the same water circulating, the heat is extracted at the surface and the cold water that is injected is then re heated in the underground. The turbines can be installed in a modular way so the site can grow to any size needed. One module can be from 6 to 30 Mw nominal effect. As a thump rule the price for the finished installation is in the area of five million US $. |