The data centre (DC) industry remains conservative, despite undergoing a transformation unlike any seen in decades. On the one hand, the acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the global data explosion are powerful tailwinds driving change. On the other, challenges such as the chronic shortage of new grid capacity and the increasing scarcity of water pose significant headwinds.
Liquid cooling for racks and servers is not a new concept but is yet to become mainstream. While hyperscalers have been trialling it for years, air cooling still dominates the landscape. However, the market appears more inclined to adopt cold plate technologies for new, demanding applications. Meanwhile, tank and chassis-level immersion cooling continue to compete for a share of the market.
The Liquid Cooling Revolution
Liquid cooling, once a niche technology, is rapidly gaining traction as the go-to solution for managing heat in high-density environments.
Why the surge?
• AI and data explosion are driving unprecedented compute demands
• Traditional air cooling is reaching its limits
• Liquid cooling is up to 3,000 times more effective than air cooling
Through 2025 and beyond, we anticipate liquid cooling adoption to surge from 10% to over 20%, largely propelled by NVIDIA’s Blackwell platform.
Hybrid Solutions: The Best of Both Worlds
While liquid cooling is on the rise, we don’t foresee a complete replacement of air cooling. Instead, hybrid solutions are emerging as the golden mean:
• DX-type cooling for areas with fluctuating heat loads
• Chilled water systems for consistent, high-density workloads
This approach offers both rapid temperature control and energy efficiency, catering to the diverse needs of modern data centres.
Power-Packed Performance: High-Density Racks
The advent of AI and GPU-accelerated workloads is pushing power requirements to new heights. By 2025, we expect to see:
• High-density rack power loads of up to 50kW • Increased demand for machine learning, HPC, and large-scale data analysis capabilities
Sustainability: No Longer Optional
With data centres already accounting for 3.2% of global carbon emissions by 2025, sustainability has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a critical operational imperative.
Key focus areas:
• Energy-efficient cooling systems
• Advanced power management tools
• Locally sourced materials to reduce environmental impact
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
While the future looks promising, the transition isn’t without hurdles:
• High initial costs for liquid cooling implementation
• Potential risks associated with leaks
• Need for specialised equipment and maintenance
However, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Liquid cooling not only improves efficiency but also reduces noise pollution, enhancing the work environment for data centre staff.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future
The data centre industry is ripe for innovation. At NovAzure Consulting, we believe the next two years will be pivotal in this transformation. The convergence of liquid cooling, high-density computing, and sustainability initiatives will redefine data centre operations.
For forward-thinking organisations, now is the time to prepare for this new era. By embracing these trends, data centres can not only meet the escalating demands of AI and big data but also lead the charge in sustainable, efficient computing.
This context makes the recent move by liquid cooling solution provider Submer particularly interesting. The company has announced plans to build data centres, starting with a 56MW facility in Barcelona, following a successful $55.5 million funding round. This approach can serve as a powerful demonstrator for prospective clients—if you can’t convince others to build it, why not build it yourself?
Other OEMs in the space, such as LiquidStack, are pursuing different strategies, focusing on expanding their CDU (Coolant Distribution Unit) product range. This diversification highlights the various paths liquid cooling companies are taking to sustain and grow their businesses as they await the all-important inflection point: when liquid cooling becomes a standard for server architecture. 🔄
Are you ready to ride the wave of change? Let NovAzure Consulting guide you through the exciting future of data centres. Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and unlock new, profitable growth.
What’s your take on this transformation?
